Visa's

Last night while Steve and I were going up our lane, we were talking about how we should be getting our travel visas soon. I was hoped they did not come while we were gone because of how bad the wind was blowing. I was afraid that they would end up in a field a mile away and our passports would then be lost. Steve assured me that they would tie them to our door knob. As soon as he said that, I looked over towards the back door, and there was something tied to the knob. When we got into the garage, I jumped out and ran to the door. Sure enough, it was our visas. Now that we have that, we wait for our TA (travel approval).

Countdown!

We have received word that our paperwork has been submitted to the US Embassy in China. This begins the final process our paperwork will go through. In two weeks it will be picked up and taken to the C**WA (Chinese adoption authorities) for a few weeks for our official approval to travel. This would ordinarily set us up to travel in January. However...

When adopting two children from different regions, we will be required to stay an extra week for the second child (a total of 3 weeks). This year Chinese New Year is very early - starting January 23. As all government office shut down for that week, we could either plan to spend an extra week there or wait until February. So assuming there isn't some other delay (which always seems the case in the process) we will be spending the majority of February abroad. All of this is sort of a blessing in disguise. It allows us to have a relatively calm Christmas season and spend an extra few weeks getting ready.

On a side note, we consulted a doctor today concerning potential health problems that we could encounter with Jade and Abram. Most of it confirmed what we already suspected - mainly that we won't know the extent of their special needs until we get them home. Fine by us, we want them home too.

NEWS NEWS NEWS

Things have been going fast this past week. Friday (11-25) we got both I-800 approvals. The I-800 is the USCIS (immigration) giving us approval for us to adopt Jade and Abram and allow them to become citizens. The next step is was to hear from the National Visa Center that they have processed the approvals and send them to the US Embassy in China. We got the e-mail confirming that it was done today. Today we also sent out our visa applications so we can go to China. We are updating our timeline which is further down the page.

Abram's LOA

On Monday Steve got a phone call to tell us that our agency just received Abram's LOA. Now that we have both children's LOA's we can start the combined process of Abram and Jade. As of now we have our permission from China to adopt both kids. Now we just need to work on getting our approvals from Immigration and work on travel visas. We have to get visas for us to go to China and we have to get visa for Abram and Jade to come into America. We have been told that we could travel in 2 to 3 months.
We are so excited and can not wait to have all our kids home. We are asking for more paperwork. It is very hard to just sit here and do nothing. We will keep posting on here as we get more news.

Some "News"

We have not gotten our Letter of Approval for Abram yet, but I recently talked to our agency and our paperwork is moving along. On September 19, it was transferred to the second part of the processing in China. We were told that it normally takes a month after that date to get the LOA.  However, the Chinese offices were closed down the first week of October for a festival.  So we are expecting (and praying) that we have the LOA by the end of the month. Not BIG news, but it does make us feel better to know that our paperwork hasn't slid behind a filing cabinet somewhere.

Log In Date!!!!

Today we got a wonderful e-mail fro our adoption agency. As of Aug. 25th we have our log in date for out mini dossier for Abram. Now we are just waiting for or LOA. We also got some new pictures.

    

   

Updated Timeline for Jade & Abram

It's very hard to tell how long until we can go get the rest of our family. Paperwork has been moving fast for some things and slow for others. Right now we still hope to travel before November, but expect to go in either December or January. This is later than we'd hoped, but all things happen in God's time. As with everything, we celebrate with the good news and endure the bad news and the waiting. We've sent additional paperwork in order to add him to our adoption. Right now we are pursuing Abram's Letter of Approval from China. At that point, we will be able to file paperwork for both kids together and have a better idea when we will travel.

"Jade" CaiYi, 11/26/07 Xining, Qinghai

_X_ Preapproval by C**WA in China [PA] – requested 12/27/10, rec’d @1/6/11

_X_ Letter of Intent to Adopt [LOI] – sent 1/11/11

_X_ Permission to Adopt – 1/14/11

_X_ Homestudy (Update) – 3/5/11

_X_ I-800A (USCIS form) – sent…3/28/11

_X_ Notice of Reciept – 4/1/11, rec’d: 4/8/11

_X_ Appointment Notice – 4/15/11, r ec’d: 4/18/11

_X_ Fingerprints Taken – 5/12/11,walked in: 4/25/11

_X_ Notice of Action [approval] – 5/19/11, rec’d: 5/23/11

_X_ Dossier To Chinese Consulate in U.S. – sent 5/23/11, rec’d 5/24/11 [TN], 5/25/11 [DC]

_X_ rec’d back: 6/6/11 [TN], 6/7/11 [CA]

_X_ Dossier To China [DTC] – sent 6/8/11, 6/10/11

_X_ Dossier Login Date at CCCWA [LID] – 6/16/11

_X_ Letter Seeking Confirmation [approval][LSC / LOA] – 8/4/11

“Abram” Aoze, 5/10/05 Liuzhou, Guangxi

_X_ Preapproval by C**WA in China [PA] – requested 7/6/11, rec’d 7/12/11

_X_ Homestudy (Addendum) – 7/12/11

_X_ I-800A Supplement 3 (USCIS form) – sent 7/13/11

_X_ Notice of Reciept – 7/18/11

_X_ Notice of Action [approval] – 8/1/11

_X_ Dossier (update) To Chinese Consulate in U.S. – 8/2/11

_X_rec’d back: 8/11/11

_X_ Dossier (update) To China [DTC] – sent 8/15/11

_X_ Dossier Login Date at CCCWA [LID] - 8/25/11

_X_Letter Seeking Confirmation (approval from China)[LSC / LOA] – 10/24/11

Paperwork for both children done together from this point

_X_I-800 / I-864W (USCIS forms) – 10/26/11

_X_Notice of Reciept – 11/7/11

_X_Notice of Action [approval] – 11/18/11, rec'd 11/25/11

_X_ NVC CABLE Letter (of I-800 approval) to US Embassy – 11/30/11

_X_Article 5 letter by US Embassy – 12/20/11

____Travel Acceptance by C**WA [TA] –

____Consulate Appointment by US Embassy [CA]

Ready for Travel !!!

LOA!!!

I love the sound of our agency rep's voice. Every time she calls us, we get great news. Today our "mini" dossier for Abram is on its way to Washington to the consulate.  We also got our LOA (Letter Of Approval) for Jade. We are going to wait until we get Abrams' LOA before we pursue the next step (The I-800).

Today our care package got sent out to Abram also.

We have sent Jade 2 care packages before we started the blog.

We got our USCIS approval (again)!!!!!

Today in the mail we got our I-797 approving us to adopt two children from China. Now we have to get all the seals and sent it off to China. One more step done!!!!

I feel like I need to post something, but there is nothing new. We are just waiting, and waiting some more, then a little more waiting. We have out I-800A Supplement 3 for Abram and waiting for our LSC (or LOA) for Jade. Either one is due to be done at any time now.

News Paper From China

Steve read on one of his adoption forums that he could research our children in China. He was able to find our little girl's clipping that was trying to find her family. I was told that you sometimes get that information and picture when you go over to China, but we thought it was really neat. We believe that Jade is the fourth one down.



http://epaper.tibet3.com/qhrb/html/2008-06/12/content_117328.htm

We got our preapproval!!!!!

I got the call today that we were preapproved to adopt AoZe. It only took 5 days. We have already sent out our Supplement 3 to USCIS. We are hoping for a speedy return on that.

We sent in out preapproval last week and we have not heard anything back yet. I know that it takes some time to hear back from China but I am getting sick of the wait. It seems that we have been waiting more with this adoption. With Elias it seemed like there was always something to do, but then again I was working at the time.
With adding another child to our adoption there has been some paperwork that we needed to update.  We had to get an addendum to our homestudy. Then send in a supplement to our I-800A (that is our preapproval to adopt and bring a child into the U.S. through immigration).   The supplement we send in is to  change the information of the child (now children) we intend to adopt. Hopefully we will be getting our homestudy Monday or Tuesday and get it sent to immigration the same day.
On a side note my nerves are doing a lot better. After we decided to try and make Aoze a part of our family, I've been getting really nervous. Going from one to two would be an adjustment, but three kids...Aaaahhhhhh! Last night we went out as a family and started to think about what is would be like after we had three kids. Most likely we are not going to be able to sit at booths anymore in most restaurants.  The back seat of both of our cars are going to be filled whenever we go places. Surprisingly, the more we thought about it the more excited I am becoming and the less nervous I am.  

The Power of Ultraman!

The other day I came across a picture of a young boy that needed a home.  I was reading the mini description of the little guy when I read that he loves to watch Ultraman cartoons. Now to most people that does not mean a lot but in this family, we watch Ultraman quite a bit. (Elias picked it out at Wal-Mart some time ago--Of course he identified it by its Chinese name.)  Just for kicks I went to www.bringinghopetochildren.org and requested his information.
He is a six years old boy from China. I showed Steve the information and after some praying and a couple of phone calls, we decided that we would like to be the family that gives him a home.  His name is Aoze (which we are still trying to accurately pronounce).  We are working on paperwork right now to "add" him to our adoption of Jade.  Our goal is to get him at the same time we go to pick up Jade. The pre-approval packet was sent out today.

Saturday, the same day we confirmed that we wanted to adopt this boy, we got updated pictures of Jade. While we were looking at the new pictures of her we noticed that she was wearing Ultraman pants.  A couple days later while we were looking at his picture we noticed that he was wearing an Ultraman shirt. 

I suspect there is going to be a lot of Ultraman playing in this home in a couple of months.

Timeline for Jade (China) on going

“Jade” CiaYi 

                                  XiNing, QingHai

01/11/11 -  Letter of Intent to Adopt [LOI]
01/14/11 - Permission to Adopt by CCCWA in China [PA]
03/05/11 - Homestudy (Update)

-Homestudy Complete-

03/28/11 - I-800A (USCIS form) – sent
04/01/11 -     Notice of Reciept
04/15/11 -     Appointment Notice
04/25/11 -    Fingerprints Taken – 5/12/11,  walked in
05/19/11 -     Notice of Action [approval]                   

05/24/11 - Dossier To Chinese Consulate in U.S.

-Dossier Complete-

06/10/11 - Dossier To China [DTC]
06/16/11 -     Dossier Login Date at CCCWA [LID]
                       Letter Seeking Confirmation [approval][LOA]

                 - I-800 / G-1145 (for email) / I-864W (USCIS forms)
                       Notice of Reciept
                       Notice of Action [approval]

                 - NVC CABLE Letter (of I-800 approval) to US Embassy
                 - Article 5 granted by US Embassy
                 - Travel Acceptance [TA]

____Travel visa applications to Chinese consulate 

            ____Travel visas [approval] 

-Ready for Travel-

Travel Dates:____________________

Timeline for Elias (Taiwan)

Elias                                                                                        Taipei, Taiwan

06/11/09 - Send Letter of Intent to Adopt [LOI]
07/28/09 - Preapproval [PA] 

08/16/09 - Homestudy (Update) 

07/03/09 - I-600A (USCIS form) –  (renewed)    
07/25/09 & 12/14/09 - Fingerprints
08/07/09 & 01/10/10 - Approval [I-171H] 

-Dossier Complete-

08/30/09 - Dossier To Taiwan (Jonah House)

10/13/09 - Orphanage Approval

11/03/09 - 1^st Court Date

11/13/09 - (Skype with him at Jonah House!!!)
12/29/09 - 1^st Decree (2^nd Court Date)
01/10/10 - Permission to Travel

01/20/10 ? - I-864 (USCIS form)

   sent to American Institute in Taiwan via NVC (formally BCS)
01/21/10 - Final Decree (3^rd Court Date)

??/??/?? - Final Documents Completed 

 - DS-230 (DOS form) for travel

 - I-600 (USCIS form) for travel

1/31/10 – 2/9/10 : Travel Dates to Taiwan!!!

Our family right now.

This is my family. My husband Steve, my son Elias and of course me. Steve and I have been married almost seven years now. We love growing our family through adoption. Elias is from Taiwan and has been home for about a year and a half. We started as new parents with a 7 year old. It was a big change but well worth it. He however was not our first adoption. We were trying to get a 4 year old boy from Vietnam when the boarders closed. We still pray and think of him often.
Right now we are in the middle of adopting a 3 year old little girl from China. Her name will be Jade. We have our dossier logged into China as of June 16th. We might have some more exciting new later but that is all for now.

We have a timeline for Elias and Jade that we will post later. From this timeline you will be able to see how fast the adoption for Elias took and where we are with the adoption of Jade. My husband is very organized and has put these together. We are not asking for anything except prayer.