Thank you for taking the time to read this. It's been a long and broken road, but I am thrilled to say I am adopting a little girl from Colombia!
I'm still in the Home Study process, and they say it may be as long as three years before I'm able to be matched and bring my daughter home. When I do, she will be requiring treatment (mental/emotional/physical) here in the States. And although I'm still early in the process, the bills are already rolling in.
Why Colombia? Well, first, hablo Español! That will help as my daughter will be learning English once I get her back to the States. Second, I have always had a love for South America - their history, culture, and the people's tenacity thru the ages. Third, I've been privileged to sponsor two girls in Colombia through Compassion International for over a decade, and have gotten to see the country through their eyes. I can't wait to bring my little girl here and give her all the love and opportunities that are possible.
Why Adopt Together? This adoption will cost me close to $50k by the time my daughter is home. That's a lot of money! But beyond that, this gives you the opportunity to live out James 1:27 along with me - "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress". And you can do it while getting a tax deduction for your gift!
Even if you can't give financially, I covet your prayers in this journey. Thanks for reading along this far, and for considering a gift on my daughter's behalf.
I have my finalized home study, all notarized and ready to go! This experience is such a "hurry up and wait" game. The next step is to file an I-800A with USCIS - this is a petition with the US government to be approved as an adoptive parent from a Hague-approved country (in this case, Colombia!). My I-800A packet is nearly 50 pages, and will require another round of fingerprinting and FBI clearance checks. The USCIS website advises that the process is taking 4-5 months for approvals right now, so I expect to receive approval around Christmas. In the interim, I have more trainings to complete for my primary adoption agency, and more paperwork to do in preparation for my dossier. But that will be a far lighter load than I've had these past six months. The other fun thing I get to do now that the home study is approved is start to apply for financial grants - most are based on financial need and for some reason people think debt is even more acceptable when it is for an adoption, so I don't know that I will get any. I TRULY, TRULY appreciate those of you who have chosen to support me financially through Adopt Together. Yes, those dollars actually reach me! And they are a blessing! I'm still looking at another $30k+ before I get home with my child, and then there will be medical expenses after that, so every little bit now helps.
So for the new few months, please do continue to keep me in prayer. Pray for a speedy approval with USCIS, for wisdom as I time the remaining paperwork requirements so that they won't expire too soon and need redone, and for favor as I pursue grants to help fund this adoption. Pray for my child and my child's birth mom, that she would make good choices and that the Lord would supernaturally protect my child against layered complications/special needs. Please start praying for favor for my dossier with Colombia, for those who will be considering my application and providing referrals to match me with my child. And thank you SO much for your prayers through this season!
First, let me thank you all for your prayers and generous support toward my adoption. Your notes, texts, donations and support have been such a blessing. I'm so grateful.
I wanted to let you know that my home study process is wrapping up! It's been a very busy few months, and I have learned SO MUCH. I think I started this journey with the misconception that the home study would be studying my home to determine fitness for adoption - wow, was I wrong! It actually meant I would be studying at home a LOT! I've taken more than 10 credits of classes ranging from risks and common needs in international adoption, to what behaviors to expect, the impacts of prenatal stress and exposure to drugs and alcohol, the impacts of institutionalization, and strategies for attachment once we get home. I also completed nearly 20 hours of cultural learning and exposure - from Colombian history, culture, cooking, and music, I feel so much closer to my daughter and better prepared to keep her connected with her birth culture as she grows up.
This month I'm tackling the final task on my to-do list - completing a 26-page resource packet where I identify and interview dentists, pediatrician, specialists, counselors, and schools and partner with them to detail out a transition plan for bringing my girl home and helping her through the initial weeks and months of being home. It's been an eye opener for just how remote my little town is in terms of access to specialists and Spanish speakers. It's very overwhelming but I'm so grateful for the focus from my agency to have these resources lined up in advance!!
So what's next? I have my last home study visit the end of June. After that, we will finalize the documentation for the home study and then I will have to get all the official documents (birth certificate, home deed, etc.) that are already notarized apostilled. Basically this is one additional step of authentication in which the State of Michigan affirms that the documents and the notarization are legitimate. Colombia requires this as part of the dossier process, and it has to be completed before the notarizations get too old. Once that is done, the entire packet of all the documents I've gathered, paperwork for the home study, certificates from my education credits, etc. will all be compiled into what is known as a dossier - basically me and my life situation in a book. This will be translated into Spanish and then sent to the branch of the Colombian government that handles child services, ICBF. ICBF will review the dossier and then decide if I get approved or not. I doubt I'll have a final word on approval from ICBF before the end of the year, but it is in the Lord's hands. If/when approved, I will then go in the pool to await a match!
As my supporters in this adoption process, I'd ask you pray for wisdom as I line up all the support structures that will help me and my daughter in the coming-home journey - all the doctors, specialists, the right schools, etc. It's hard not knowing what age or specific needs she will have, so pray I cover all the bases appropriately so I can dig deeper quickly once I have a match with my daughter and know the specifics of her needs. Pray for me as I navigate the finalization of the home study and all the legal steps that come next. And of course, please pray for my daughter and her birth family, that the Lord would even now be guarding and guiding them.
Thank you again for your support and prayers! I cannot adequately express my gratitude for your involvement in this journey. Thank you.
