Adoption Process

I thought it might be informative to post our adoption process thus far so you all knew the process and how it worked for us (how we got to this point).

After some serious thought, prayer, inspiration and a lot of faith we felt prompted to call the adoption agency we have been working with, "Families for Children", and start our adoption process on May 15th, 2005. During the first phone call Laura (who would be our counselor) asked us some questions and explained the process and costs to us. We were to receive some documents in the mail in the next week to begin and we had to fill out every form (financial, employment, submit three referrals from friends & family, marriage and birth certificates, background checks, criminal checks, check out clean and clear with our local police department in Layton, finger prints, etc). They really dig deep into the history of those considering adoption as to make sure these babies all come home to a good home with loving parents. We were willing to do all they asked of us because we knew it was in the best interest of the child.

Well that took me all of about a week, when I set my mind to something I do it, and I do it fast! Once the papers were turned in (some being sent to the state and some to Families for Children) we then had to wait for our background checks to come through as clear in order to move onto the next step, this took about a month.

The next step was to have our Home Study. Families for Children works closely with a social worker by the name of Suzanne Stout. Our agency informed her of our adoption and she then sent me all the forms and paperwork needing to be filled out for the Home Study. We set a date and Suzanne came out to our home on June 14th. She took a quick glance at our home and then sat down with both Lindsay and I in the living room. We spoke about how Lindsay and I met, what drew us to each other, how long we have been married and what our relationship was like at this time. We spoke of our childhoods and our parents. She spoke with both of us together for about 30 minutes and then she took another 15 minutes focusing on just one of us at a time. We all stayed in the same room but she wanted to know about our upbringing, parents, what we loved or disliked about our childhood, our goals in the future, why we want children etc. It was a nice chat and she was very informative referring great books to read and sharing her knowledge on adoption and the realities of it all.

It was a nice visit and then Suzanne left to go back to her office to write up our Home Study. During this time we were putting together a referral letter of our own that the agency, care givers, etc. would be able to view. We expressed how we got to this point in our lives, why we wanted to adopted and then we were instructed to include pictures of our home, trips, families, etc. The birth mom can express some interests or characteristics that the new parents might have that she wants her baby to go to, then the care givers (knowing the baby for a few months) and Laura all decide by inspiration who the babies should go to. All three of them have a say in it, I liked this process.

We had also at this time submitted everything into the state for our passports and were expecting them back any day.

Once the Home Study was ready it was translated and put with many other papers to be sent to St. Lucy's in Taiwan. They are to review everything.

At this point now we are waiting for a baby referral. They like to have the background and Home Study all done before referring babies to parents. Two months into the process is when we were put on the waiting list. During the five months until we received our referral for Faith we did receive two other referrals but one of the little girls was a premature baby and Laura just thought she would mention her although we had selected a healthy baby. Laura didn't go into to much detail but just wanted us to know about her because we were first on the waiting list. It was more of just Laura just keeping us informed though rather then a true referral. The other little girl was 10 months at the time (my heart knew, maybe being our first baby, she would be 14-16 months by the time we were to pick her up). I just knew she wasn't our baby girl so Lindsay and I decided to let her go. This tugged at our heart strings for sure. For about a week I felt badly but something inside told me she would be going to the right home and our baby girl was yet to come. We then waiting 3-4 long months until we received another call and it was our little sweetheart Faith.

When you receive a referral the agency will call you. They tell you all about baby girl on the phone, her health standings, birth info, etc. Then they send you all the pictures and info by e-mail. You are to read everything and take the time you need to determine if this is your baby. Of course the faster the better because other families are waiting and if this for some reason turns out to not be your baby they like to find the baby a home quickly. When knew from the phone call she was ours and then once we saw the photos and read about her we were over joyed. We prayed about her that evening and then called Laura back the next day to let her know she was ours.

At this point Laura over-nighted more paperwork. This was paperwork for the court process. We were to sign documents, fill out a few and have everything notarized. It was then sent back to Laura, then to San Fransisco to be translated at the Taiwan office there, then back to Laura for review then to St. Lucy's in Taiwan. They are to do some paperwork on their end and then it is sent into the Taiwan courts.

This is where we are at this point, they are either still at St. Lucy's or the court but we have not yet heard from Laura yet.

WE HOPE ALL GOES SMOOTH AND QUICKLY!