Since my return, I have completed my home study with the help of a wonderful woman named Suzanne Stott (my home study social worker). If you ever have the privilege to meet and chat with her, consider yourself lucky. I am now in the middle of compiling my dossier, a lengthy process full of legalizing, notarizing, and copying documents. Just to give you a taste of the process, lets take my birth certificate. You must obtain
6 certified copies of the original birth certificate, have them all
notarized, then send them to the state to have them
authenticated, then send them to the Haitian Consulate in Washington D.C. to have them
legalized by the Haitian government. Ya, that’s just my birth certificate. And don’t have them notarized in the wrong color pen. You can just go ahead and start all over. Then there are medical exams, psychological exams, letters of recommendation, criminal background checks, legal forms, employment letters, financial statements, passports, visas, immigration forms... (several of which, by the way, have to go through the same process as the birth certificate)!!! A daunting task. But, I am taking it one document at a time and hopefully it shouldn’t take me too long. I am planning on going back down to Haiti in September, that is my goal. I am dying to go back, and absolutely dying to get matched. And I feel strongly (just like I did the first time I went down) that I need to go back down there before being matched. I think I dream about it every night.
LBC (“London Broadcasting Company”) Update: I don’t know if I mentioned this earlier, but London and I have a bit of a struggle going on regarding the little person we are going to adopt. She wants a girl, I want a boy. I will admit that usually in a power struggle between the two of us, she wins. But, I’m pretty sure this time I shall prevail. London is slightly more than psyched out of her mind to be getting a brother or sister. What, I guess she is bored of me or something? Every night, she prays for our baby in Haiti. I am excited for myself, and even more excited for her.
I also want to say thank you to everyone for your support in this. I have a truly amazing family and truly amazing friends and know that you have all been put into my life for a reason. I hope I can help you all as much as you have helped me.
my london and her buddy, meep
...and she is a professional hippie hula-hooper
me and L
5 comments:
Ahhh....I remember those horrendous, seemingly never-ending paperwork days and hoop jumping. And after you hurry up, you wait! And wait. AND WAIT. Sheesh! I am so excited for you to get matched. Do you know how soon it will be? Have you heard anything back from Heather about your situation?? You're KILLING me here with nothing to go on!
No, I have not heard back from Heather yet! She is supposed to get in touch with me after her trip down there this week. But, I have heard that the adoption laws down there are changing right now, for the better. We are seriously fasting and praying for it every week. I know you guys are too! Sorry to wax philosophical for a moment, but I know you feel the same Tonya, I just know those hundreds of thousands of orphans in Haiti have not been forgotten and there is a reason that so many of us have had our attention and hearts drawn down there. I have absolutely no doubt that a way will open up for these babies to make it into their new homes quickly. Now just help me remember that when I'm having a rough day, week, month! :)
I'm glad we have a friend in each other to help us through this hoop-jumping, emotionally-draining typhoon. Hang in there and KEEP ME POSTED!!
I've started updating my homestudy with Suzanne as well. She did our orginial one with Kenley's adoption. Did she also do your dossier or is your agency doing that? What domestic agency are you using? We need to talk. Call me 801-550-0608
I am having the same feelings as far as documents and paperwork but hopefully I have it figured out...for now!Seems we both have time to pass..lets go eat lunch!
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