Graphics, content and webpage design, Copyright 2002 - 2009, The Story Of You Free Public Domain Download - "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
Thanks so much for visiting us during our journey, Danny, Sally, Daniel and Carmen!
Time Line
08/07/05 Submitted Preliminary application to Bethany Christian Services
08/09/05 Applied for U.S. Passport
08/10/05 Signed Int’l adoption agreement with Bethany
08/10/05 Criminal Record background checks
08/11/05 Submitted I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition
08/15/05 Submitted application package to Bethany
08/20/05 Attended international adoption seminar covering ‘The Impact of Orphanage Conditions’, ‘Race and Adoption’, ‘Attachment’, ‘Child Sexual Abuse’, ‘Bring Your Child Home’
08/29/05 Received invitation for fingerprinting from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
10/18/05 Approved for adoption by Bethany Christian Services
10/26/05 To Homeland Security office for fingerprinting
12/12/05 Approved for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition, I-171H received
12/28/05 Dossier to Bethany International (included our letter to China, waivers, formal application, Bethany paperwork, medicals, background checks, references, financials, employment reference, etc.)
01/24/06 Dossier to China
02/20/06 Dossier received in China and logged in (very important date!)
05/11/06 Received ‘brown envelope’ from U.S. Consulate office in Guangzhou China (this will be needed when referral is received)
03/06/07 Resubmit I-600A due to expiration
06/22/07 Submitted paperwork for updated home study (required new financials, medical reports, background checks, etc.)
06/26/07 Updated home study approved by Bethany
08/10/07 Go to Homeland Security office again for re-fingerprinting
11/01/07 New I-171H, Approval for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition, received
03/03/08 Obtained Hepatitis A (#1) and Hepatitis B (#1) vaccinations
04/10/08 Received second ‘brown envelope’ from U.S. Consulate office in Guangzhou China (due to L-O-N-G wait)
04/23/08 Obtained Hepatitis B (#2) vaccinations
08/21/08 Moved to Kentucky. With regard to adoption, thought we only needed to “update” our home study with a social worker in Kentucky. Boy, were we ever wrong…. Turns out we had to start all over with a new home study! When starting over, the study had to be for Danny, Sally and Sally’s Dad (Pawpaw) because he now lives with us in Kentucky. Everything starts with the birth certificate which Pawpaw does not have because of a mistake made by the midwife when completing his certificate at birth. This could be a HUGE problem and could potentially not allow travel arrangements to be made when referral is received.
09/10/08 Contacted Kentucky Adoption Services
09/12/08 Wrote letters to TN and KY USCIS offices notifying of relocation to KY
09/23/08 Went to the USCIS (Homeland Security) office in Louisville, KY to plead our case regarding Pawpaw’s birth certificate. We saw God’s hand at work during our entire visit. I prayed for the one hour drive there specifically for us to meet with a “compassionate” person and for peace about this meeting (versus the nervousness that I was feeling). I felt a tremendous peace as we were walking in. Upon entering the room, a lady behind a glass asked if she could help us. I walked up thinking ‘do I really have to plead my entire case out loud in front of this entire waiting room??!’ but apparently did … so I began. Barely into my plea, the lady next to her stood up and said she heard me and thought that she had received my original letter (from 9/12/08) – so to come on over to her window. She was still very business-like and I began again. When I got to the part about Daddy’s name mix-up, the midwife, etc., she interjected that “the same thing had happened to her aunt”! Once she said that, her whole demeanor changed and I smiled as I got goose bumps because I knew that this was the “compassionate” person I had prayed for. It’s really neat the way I was led to her. Anyway, she took what I had and presented it to her supervisor who not only approved it but said they would fingerprint all of us while we were there to save a trip back. Thank you Lord!!
10/01/08 Obtained Hepatitis A (#2) and Hepatitis B (#3) vaccinations
10/07/08 Formal application submitted to Kentucky Adoption Services
10/10/08 Request new background checks for all from TN and KY
10/10/08 New reference letters mailed
10/23/08 Home Study visit with Kentucky Adoption Services
10/30/08 Home Study mailed by KAS to Kentucky USCIS
