It is finished. The paperwork for our adoption is in the mail! For over a year, many of you have heard us talk about our Homestudy, I-800 Form, and biometric fingerprints, but as of today, the dossier is in the mail.What does that mean? It means we have completed all the necessary steps to send our paperwork to China, and now, we will receive an LID (Log-in Date) and we are officially in line to adopt from China.
Although we are thrilled to have made it this far, we still have a lot of waiting and praying ahead. It will probably take over three years before receiving a referral, so Clay and I are already praying for this baby, who has likely not been born.
11 Phrases We Did Not Know Before Beginning this Process
1. Adoption Planner - Website or Notebook provided by an adoption agency that tracks each step toward your eventual adoption.
2. Secretary of State Authentication - Since almost every document during the adoption must be notarized, the Secretary of State must authenticate the seal before sending the documents overseas.
3. Homestudy (one word) - Although not just an inspection of your home, it's an in-depth look into your ability to provide a safe, loving environment for a child.
4. USCIS Approval - United States Citizenship and Immigration Services must grant approval for you to bring a child into the country.
5. Immigrant Visa Fee - Fee to bring a non-US Citizen into another country for an extended period of time
6. Dossier - Packet of documents to send to China which include personal statement, financial statement, homestudy, pictures, physical exam, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc...
7. Personal Statement - Cover letter explaining why you intend to adopt.
8. Paper Pregnancy - Adoptive parents refer to the time when they are doing paperwork as a "Paper Pregnancy" because you are anxiously awaiting your child, similar to a Mom who is physically pregant.
9. Adoption Decree - the document a judge signs to finalize an adoption
If any of you have adopted, feel free to add to this list by commenting!
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