Next Steps

Yesterday I received an email from my home study agency saying they were done reviewing my home study report and approved it and were sending it to Cathie (social worker) to sign and then it is MINE!

This is a big step!  Now that the home study report is done a lot can happen.  I have already filled out the i800A (Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country) and as soon as the notarized copy of my home study is in my hands ... it will be put in an envelope and MAILED with the i800A!

I will get several notarized copies of my home study report.  One will go with my i800A.  Another will go with my dossier documents to Austin to be authenticated and then to Houston to the Chinese Consulate.  I will then have to do the same when my i800A comes back (Austin then Houston) ... but doing this in two separate steps is recommended in case something is rejected.  If it is rejected, I will have time to fix it.  Pray nothing is rejected!

THEN my dossier will be sent to China to be approved.

On one of my China Adoption FB groups they are keeping a spreadsheet of how long each families process from the time they received pre-approval until their Consulate appointment in China.  It looks like the average of those documented in the spreadsheet is 7-9 months.  My goal is to have him home by Christmas.

This Saturday my friend Amy is hosting a "Rollin' for Bryson" BUNCO night at her house.  It is primarily my subdivision attending and some Vogel friends.  I am looking forward to a good time!  I will share pictures after!

I am putting the finishing touches on a flyer I will share for another Bringing Bryson Home fundraiser that will be Saturday May 27th.  Stay tuned!

Here are some more pictures of people supporting my journey to Bringing Bryson Home!  You are all amazing!!!

Thanks all for checking in!  Have a great day!

Home Study DONE!!!

I have been recommended AND APPROVED through my Social Worker in my home study report! 

My home study report is working it's way through editing.  I got the rough draft to make any corrections needed.  It's sixteen pages long, so naturally there will be a few typos.  I added in a few pieces of info (she didn't know my eye color) ... and sent it back.  Now Hand in Hand (my placing agency) will go through it to make sure it contains everything China needs.

Thank you to everyone who sent in references!  Several were noted in the report and it made my heart happy to hear you all think so highly of me.  I will try my best to live up to your expectations!

So what's next?  Once the report makes it's way through all the editing, Little Miracles International (home study preparer) will get my social worker to sign, they will sign (in Amarillo), it will be notarized ... and then will be in my hand.  THEN I can apply for i800A and submit everything (minus i800A) to Austin to be authenticated.  Then everything will go to the Chinese Consulate in Houston to be authenticated.  At some point I'll get a fingerprint appointment at The Department of Homeland Security ... that is after my i800A is sent in.

After I have my FINAL notarized copy of the home study report I will be filling out grants.  I'm hoping to get a large portion funded through grants.

I'm doing a happy dance!  One step closer.

Thanks for following my journey!

Have a WONDERFUL week!

Third Times a Charm!

A few people were bummed they missed the deadline on the second shirt campaign.  Three is my lucky number, so I relaunched for a third time.  This one will be open 14 days to make sure anyone who wants a shirt is able to get one this round.

https://www.bonfire.com/help-bring-bryson-home/

Thanks everyone!

Jen

Home Study Visits COMPLETE!

This past Saturday I had my fourth and FINAL meeting with Cathie, my Social Worker.  I went to an all day simulcast at her church for "Empowered to Connect".  It was amazing!  Lots of great information not only as an adoptive Mom ... but also as a teacher.  Anyone who works with kids or has kids should attend.  April 28 and 29 they are rebroadcasting it.  If you are in the Woodlands area you can go to The Church Project to participate.

http://lovefostershope.org/events/empowered-to-connect-conference/

Thankfully every document I fill out or have filled out ... and then notarized is checked by Kendra who is assisting with my dossier at Hand in Hand (my agency).  She noticed that my medical was not signed by an MD.  There was drama in getting the MD who supervises to sign off on it ... but it all worked out.  I went in after school today and ... IT'S DONE!  Thankfully I went to the car and texted Kendra pictures because on two of the letters I was missing the jurat statement.  So I went back in and they added for me!  PHEW!  That is DONE!  

Today I got my birth certificate and it's state authentication back from my courier with the Chinese Consulate's authentication.  I actually freaked out because I sent in two pages and when I opened the mailing envelope the same two documents were there, nothing more ... thankfully I noticed a sticker on the back of the Secretary of State letter that the Chinese Consulate used to show they authenticated.  

I blurred out the writing ... I translated it with my Google translate app (just says it was certified and such with ID numbers) ... but I don't know how sensitive this sticker is.  

So now ... where am I in the process?

I am currently waiting for Cathie to write my home study report.  She indicated it is a lengthy process and takes between 10-12 hours to write.  I almost said ... I'll buy you a Red Bull ... but I refrained.  

I have been told it can take 2-3 weeks after your last visit for the report to be done.  Once the report is done I get a copy, as does my agency.  We look over it to make sure all of the information is correct and the agency makes sure all the necessary pieces are there.  Once it's verified it is notarized and DONE.  

Once my home study report is DONE that almost completes my dossier.  The only thing left is to fill out the i800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country.  I will fill out the i800A and submit it.  While I am waiting for it to be approved I will send the rest of my dossier to Austin to be State Authenticated then to Houston to the Chinese Consulate.  I'm hoping there are no problems ... but if there are, I will have a little wiggle room while I'm waiting for the i800A.

I don't quite understand all the ins and outs of the i800A.  From reading my FB pages it sounds like you submit it, and then after a few weeks you get an appointment to be fingerprinted in Houston at Homeland Security.  Then after the i800A is approved, you then have to get it notarized, State Authenticated and Chinese Consulate approved.  I'm learning as I go.  

Once the i800A and the rest of the dossier has been approved by the Chinese Consulate ... then it is time to SUBMIT my dossier to CHINA.  Then ... wait.  They will give me the green light to travel.  

Every night I go through my Chinese adoption FB groups and read other's experiences with the dossier aspect.  A handful are hung up on the home study, different forms ... so I'm hoping and praying all goes smooth with mine!

I keep looking at the different grants that are available ... but I have to wait until I have the home study report in my hands.  So that's another reason I want to get it back ASAP.  Patience.  

Here is Lori, one of Bryson's biggest fans!  

If you ordered a Bring Bryson Home shirt, please take a selfie and send me!  

Thank you for following my journey!

Have a great week!

Shirt campaign relaunched!

I am relaunching Bryson's shirt campaign. The first shipment arrived and they are super soft and cute! Someone (no names mentioned) forgot to click submit and is super sad they missed out (ok, it was ME 😫) Who knows what I did ... but I didn't get one 😞 If I can sell at least 13 the second order will ship in about a week. The styles I have seen are super cute! 

https://www.bonfire.com/help-bring-bryson-home

 Bryson's biggest fans!

 

Mrs. Mann supporting Bryson!

Please send me pictures of YOU wearing YOUR shirt so I can add to Bryson's memory book!

So I hit a minor snafu.  Not a biggie, but super annoying.  So the medical forms I had signed ... well ... she's not an MD or DO, she's a PA.  I'm glad this isn't Kendra's first rodeo and she caught it.  I am working to get the supervising MD to fill out the paperwork and sign.  I'm hoping it won't be another co-pay and physical, but since the MD supervises the PA they just sign off.  Otherwise, I'm back to the doctor next Tuesday.  

I got my psychologist report back today.  There's good news ... and bad news.  The good news, "Ms. Ruppert presented as a psychologically healthy individual ... There was no evidence of any psychopathology or maladaptive personality traits which would contraindicate that Ms. Ruppert would be a healthy parent of an adopted child."  The bad news ... there are two minor errors (in years of teaching ... and need to change his to her) ... and they didn't give me an original (I picked up one minute before they closed and didn't look until I got to my car).  So I faxed them (couldn't find an email) on my handy dandy iPhone app to request those minor changes be made (Chinese Consulate is so picky) and to sign using a blue pen to make it more evident it is an original signature.  Hopefully I can pick up that copy yet this week or early next week.

 Saturday is a big day!  I'm attending "Empowered to Connect" conference AND I have my LAST visit with my social worker!  Pray she is able to write my report fairly quickly!

Have a great day!  Thanks for following my journey to Bringing Bryson Home!

Shirts are Shipping!

Happy Monday!  I have heard many of you have gotten emails saying your shirts have shipped!  Several of you received your shirts today!  I'm jealous because I haven't gotten an email yet :(  When you get your shirt PLEASE text or email me a selfie!  I want to include all of your pictures in Bryson's memory book!  Here are a few who have already received their shirts.

Gigi Jean sporting a blue v-neck

Ms. Rachell sporting a purple v-neck

A lot has happened in the past week or so!  At this point in the process I am completing my home study.  The funny thing ... today I got an email ...

YAY!  I'm excited I'm on the fast track!  China requires that parents meet with a social worker four times as part of their home study.  Tonight I finished my third visit.  I had my first last Friday, my second (which was also my home inspection) on Saturday ... third tonight ... and this coming Saturday I'm going to "Empowered to Connect" seminar and after I will meet with my SW for the last time.  

Good news ... the house was up to standards :)  I only cleaned and organized for a week solid.  I was ready for her to open closets, cabinets ... the whole nine yards.  She didn't.  But hey, I guess my house is clean now.  Cotton was on his best behavior showing her how ready he is to be a big brother.  

After my home study (four meetings with SW) is complete she will write a report.  She says it's very detailed and typically takes her 10-12 hours to write.  She promises she will get it done as fast as possible.  I'm not sure she realizes I will be emailing her every three days checking in.  

Once my home study report is done, things can start moving.  The report is my golden ticket.  Once I receive the report I can start applying for grants.  This is HUGE!  Once I have the report I will be spending my nights and weekends writing grants.  

I can also fill out Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country ... this is a Department of Homeland Security US Citizenship and Immigration form.  

Once I get my I-800A back ... I get to be fingerprinted.  Yup, you read that right ... fingerprinted.  Again.  Apparently the FBI and Homeland Security don't communicate with each other.  So, back to get fingerprinted I go.  

THEN ... once my fingerprinting comes back from USCIS I can complete my dossier (I'm just waiting for home study report and I-800A) and send off to Austin to be authenticated ... then when I receive from Austin ... send to the Chinese Consulate in Houston.  

Each of these steps should take ... ???  

I'm praying all will fall into place.  I'm praying I get to bring Bryson home in December.  From start to finish that would be 9 months.  

Thanks for following my journey to bringing Bryson home!

Remember, if you ordered a shirt ... send me a selfie!!!

Have a great week!