“Expect the unexpected and prepare, prepare, prepare!” This was advice I had read time and time again. Advice that I had listened to as we prepared to meet our daughter for the first time. I read all the suggested books, took the online trainings, and surrounded myself with the adoption community. I felt more than…
HOME STUDY Away we go…today is the day. You sent your agency application you are on your way. With baby dreams in your head all gooey and sappy Your off to a far away land to become a mommy and pappy. Dust, vacuum, shower and straighten your hair. Your house is a haven of order…
Total Files – 2032 Girls – 540 (27%) Boys – 1492 (73%) Dossier First – 0 (0%) Aging Out (10+ years old) – 692 (34%), 217 girls/475 boys Aging Out (12+ years old) – 293 (14%), 91 girls/202 boys Aging Out (13+ years old) – 153 (7.5%), 41 girls/112 boys Breaking it down: There are 692 children age 10 and up…
Deep breath, the mountain of paper is out of your hands, literally, and now you are ready to…do what? What is there to do during the next phase of the process known as “The Wait”? For some parents, this is a time to sit back and relax, return to your life before home visits and…
Meet Chase! Chase is a smart, outgoing 8 year-old boy. He has been diagnosed with sensorineural deafness. He loves to read, watch cartoons, draw and play with cars. Read more about Chase HERE on his Red Thread profile! (Membership is required to view complete profiles. Membership is quick and easy; please click the “Membership” tab…
If you’re new to China adoption, or international adoption in general, you’ve probably heard this word dossier quite a bit and wondered, “What is this dossier, and why is it a word that is associated with such dread?” I’m paper chasing. Sigh. I’m working on my dossier. Sigh. Ugh. I’m trying so hard to be…
USCIS – United States Citizenship and Immigration Services It sounded official enough to make ME feel intimidated! Or at least feel like there was a lot more paperwork coming my way! But in reality, it is just one more step that gets you closer to your new son or daughter. Upon completion of your home study,…
Shared list statistics as of June 5, 2015: Total Files – 1,961 Girls – 506 (26%) Boys – 1,455 (74%) Dossier First – 2 (0.1%) Aging Out (10+ years old) – 681 (35%), 212 girls/469 boys Aging Out (12+ years old) – 294 (15%), 91 girls/203 boys Aging Out (13+ years old) – 154 (7.8%), 39 girls/115 boys Breaking it down: There are 681 children…
Home visit…two words that are sure to strike fear in the hearts of nearly every adoptive parent. Especially first timers! Depending on your state and agency requirements, often there is more than one visit involved in completing your home study. The paperwork for home studies can be daunting; but often it is the home…
Many families decide to compile their dossier before being presented with a file of a child. They sign on with an agency, complete all the necessary paperwork, send their information to China, and then patiently (or maybe not so patiently) wait for a much-anticipated phone call from their agency. So you finally get “the call”…
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