TWO WEEKS!

Two weeks ago today I found out that I was pre-approved to adopt Bryson.  Those two weeks have FLOWN by and I've gotten a lot accomplished.  

Home Study
Everything minus fingerprinting is DONE!  My fingerprint appointment is Saturday at 12:30.  It feels good to log in to the portal and see (almost) everything with ORANGE CHECKMARKS!  

WHOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

China requires that I meet with a Social Worker four times.  One time is for a home inspection.  I already have all of my dates set up ... the last being April 8th.  So I'm hoping my report is written and such by the end of April!!!  Once I have a completed home study I can start writing GRANTS!  

China also requires that I have a psych evaluation.  I went in for my testing after work today.  I'm so hoping I pass.  Apparently most people take 2-3 hours to answer the 567 True/False questions.  Ummmmm ... I was done right at 40 minutes.  But some of them were like, "I like hurting animals", "People are poisoning me" ... stuff like that.  I should get my report back in a few weeks.  

Dossier
Here is what I need for my Dossier.  Each of these was scanned in and sent to Kendra who works at Hand in Hand (my agency).  She has been super sweet and is a pleasure to work with.  Most of these have to be notarized.  Thanks to Kim Sligar for notarizing everything!  I cannot thank her enough!!!  

Letter of Application -- DONE

Birth Certificate -- OBTAINED,  Got Secretary of State to authenticate

Single Declaration -- DONE

Letter of Occupation and Income -- OBTAINED

Financial Form -- DONE

Medical Form -- OBTAINED

Guardianship Statement -- DONE

Police Good Conduct Report -- OBTAINED

Home Study -- in process

USCIS Approval -- This is after Home Study

Reference Letters -- OBTAINED (thanks everyone!!!)

Passport Photo Page -- SCANNED and sent

Family Photos -- UPLOADED

Passport Photo -- The only thing I have to do ...

Dossier Cover Sheet -- It's just a cover sheet, haha.

The next step is sending my Birth Certificate and the Secretary of State authentication to the Chinese Consulate in Chicago.  I need to look up the information here in a minute of who I can hire to do this.  Kendra sent me her info ... just got to pull it up!

After my home study and such is done I have to send most of the Dossier stuff to Austin to have the Secretary of State authenticate it.  When I get it back it then goes to the Chinese Consulate in Houston.   

Here in the near future most everything will be out of my hands.  I will need to be patient as the paperwork travels to the Secretary of State ... Chinese Consulate ... and all of the other details that I probably haven't learned yet (this has been a learning experience!)  I will need to keep myself busy with teaching ... and writing grants.  I am hoping to get as much as humanly possible in grants.  PRAY!  

Time to cuddle with Cotton!  Can't forget about him!  

Thanks for following my journey!

Take Care,

Jen