One Little “Bear” Step Closer!
So that’s it! We’re home study “official”! One little “bear” step closer to our son/daughter that is worth celebrating! To get to this point meant countless hours of pouring our hearts and life stories out (no stone unturned!) into a questionnaire, so much signing (hello hand cramps!), hours of training/reading, medical visits, background checks, and so on. Everyone always sighs sympathetically when they hear just how arduous the paper party can be. But you know what? I’m thankful for it. All of it. Not only has it drawn Joel and I closer together (doesn’t every married couple spend the evenings mapping out a fire escape route and go on romantic finger print dates!?), but the Lord is sanctifying us through the process.
Also, we are so incredibly thankful for our social workers during the home study. They immediately put us at ease and assured us they were here to help us bring our son/daughter home, not judge us! We had 4 total visits, with 3 of them in our home. So many people have the misguided impression that they come in with white gloves, check in every cabinet, and stare at you blankly while asking the most intrusive questions. Let me debunk that idea, by saying it was none of that. Now I know that domestic/foster home study visits are very different than international adoption visits, but it truly was an enjoyable experience for us and we consider them as friends now.
So what’s next? We now move onto the i800a process and begin working to complete our dossier (doss-ee-ᾱ). Basically the i800a process is the US Immigration’s approval of our adopting internationally. This document will be sent along with a collection of other documents that the China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA) requires. The dossier will include our homestudy, I800A approval, and certified copies of documents like our birth certificates, marriage license, medical forms, etc. This part of the process can take approximately 4-5 months! I’ll save what happens after that for when we get there.
In meantime can we ask you, our dear community of friends, for prayer? Here are the matters on our hearts and minds today:
Pray for littlest bear. We don’t know for sure, but based on our age range it’s likely our son/daughter has already been born (more on all of this another time). Pray for the people who are caring for him/her and pray that he/she is being loved on until home in our arms.
Pray for JG. That as we begin to incorporate littlest bear’s culture into our own that she would begin to make the connection and be ready to embrace her brother or sister.
Please pray that the process over the next few months would run as smoothly as possible. Lots of forms and red-tape, bureaucratic processes stress me out! Also, many of the documents are time-sensitive, meaning from the date they are officially signed/time-stamped we have 6 months to get it to the CCWA. We’ve quickly learned that the timing is not a science and can widely vary and the potential for re-work is high. BUT God, we know He is control. Yet, your prayers that no re-work is required is greatly appreciated!
Lastly, pray that as God is sanctifying and growing us through this process, that we’d become better parents for JG and littlest bear; that He’d be glorified at every step of the way; and that it may even encourage others to consider and pursue adoption.
So until next time friends, remember wherever you are at today keep pressing on and fighting the good fight of faith! We will never stop saying “thank you” for your support, prayers and celebration with us along the way. So thank you!
Joyfully in Christ,
