This Ain't My First Rodeo

So, I warn you that this post may get lengthy as I play catchup as to where we are in adoption world.

Remember all that talk about signs and hurdles?  Well let me just tell you that I'm not much of a hurdle jumper here lately apparently.  Way back in February, my awesome parents gave us enough money to get going.  Let's take a moment and absorb how awesome they are.  Last time I had a savings account to get started.  This time, nada.  Without their generosity, we would not even be on the playing field.  But I had to endure a freakout about the state agency at that point that I will not go into detail here as I need not go back into the fetal position.

Wait, let me explain a few things here for clarity. We will be using two agencies:

1. International agency - No, it is not located outside the US.  It is the agency, though, that will actually facilitate the adoption with China.  I will not refer to them by name due to a legal agreement.  However, if you or someone you know is interested in international adoption and needs a referral, message me privately and I will be glad to share.
   
   
2. State agency - Since we are located in a state where the international agency does not have a branch office, we have to use an agency licensed in the state of MS for our home study.  They become a cooperating agency of the international agency. 

So anyway, I spent the second part of February and literally all of March trying to get my way - aka, to get the international agency to make an exception and let us use the state agency that I wanted to use.  We finally got that permission -  from the executive director, no less - on March 31.  Um, so you are wondering where did April and May go, right?  I'm having a hard time remembering myself exactly what I've been doing...or rather, what I've been procrastinating doing.  We have done work in our house because let me tell you, nothing makes you want to spruce your house like someone coming over to judge you.  I have had pre-steps  to accomplish, such as the life insurance previously mentioned.  But, I have gotten stuck over and over again in the details.  This is POLAR OPPOSITE of how I behaved last time.  And I am severely ashamed of my inability to work any faster on this paperwork. 

Well, finally on May 20, we submitted our online application to the international agency.  After I hit submit, the significance of May struck me like a ton of bricks...

Elliott came home in May 2006 when he was 5.5 months old.

Elliott turned 5.5 years old in May 2011.

April showers bring May flowers indeed!

Here I am Friday mailing the 12-page legal agreement
(signed and notarized, of course):

Well, I'm STILL working on our application to the state agency.  The incredible length of it is daunting.  And there is always another document to dig up to answer another question.  I feel like, now that I am THIS CLOSE to submitting it, that I have essentially written our own home study in this 15-page application.  No wonder I've been overwhelmed, this is a way different approach then our former state agency took!  Regardless, I hope to have it and at least 75% of the accompanying documents* submitted by the end of this week.

*Let me give you another glimpse into this journey.  When I mention those accompanying documents, they are not easy ones!  For instance, we each have to submit medical forms.  Elliott's was easy; his doctor signed his in 5 minutes.  Doug and I's, though, not so easy.  We have to be TB tested as well as blood tested.  Which means paying for those tests, paying the doctor to read them....just one of the many hidden costs of this process.  Another example is the multiple times we have to be fingerprinted. (Insert rant here that at least 5 people have already had to hear.  I'm going to omit it for now.)  We have already submitted our fingerprints to the FBI with a payment of $36.  The hidden cost here is the $50 to get fingerprinted at the local sheriff's department.  Oh yes, that's right, I've been to the other side AGAIN!  But this time I took my man with me ;)  And this time, they used the criminals' ink on us!  Luckily, we had the sweetest little lady doing our fingerprints, and as we left she told us she would be praying for us and that in a year we'd have our baby...from your lips to God's ears, Ms. AA!