Adoption Update Letters
June 25, 1997
Just wanted to update everyone on the progress of the adoption.
June 14 - We finally mail the 1,000 page (exaggeration - just felt like it) application.
June 16 - Receive an invitation to a picnic being held this Sat. June 28 for families in China
Program
June 17 - Receive "official" notice that our app. has been received and we are assigned a
Social Worker. We are told in letter that we are to expect a phone call within 2 weeks.
June 23 - Get phone call from our Social Worker after two telephone tag sessions.
June 30 - We are meeting with our SW for the first session of our Homestudy. Will meet
for about 3-4 hours.
So far that's it. I guess we are on our way. Now it seems so REAL!!! AND SCARY!
Love,
Nance
P.S. I'm getting really nervous all of a sudden! Are we crazy to become parents at our age?!!!
7/1/97
Hi Everyone!
Just to let everyone know that we had a very busy weekend.
June 28 was the picnic. It was just like I imagined it would be. (I'm not too sure what Frank thought!) Families from all stages of the China program were there. People who came back last Aug, others who had just returned in Mar. Others whose paperwork just got sent over and are waiting and then us - the beginners!
It really helped solidify in our minds that China is definitely the way we want to go. The babies were so cute and everyone had nothing but praise and positive things to say about their China experience. Also for our agency (which is good news!) I even saw someone from Black Rock (the area of Bpt. where I work) there. We talked for quite awhile. She and her husband just came back in March.
It was also great to see so many couples older than ourselves. Hey, we felt young! Just one more positive thing that let's us know we are definitely not crazy to become parents at this age.
We met our Social Worker Susan at the picnic. She was very nice and glad we came.
June 30. Our day started out by going to the post office. Between mailing applications, sending for birth certificates etc. I feel like I live there. We mailed in our old passports (along with a big check) to get renewed. Then it was on to Norwalk for our first meeting with Susan the Social Worker. Of course we got lost. (I thought I knew where I was going but somehow I always get lost in Norwalk. There are too many sections. I think we have it down now on how to get there) We used our cell phone to call and of course we were right near where we were supposed to be.
Susan is really great. We talked mostly about ourselves growing up, family dynamics etc. We also talked about where we go from here. She stressed that her job was to get us a baby, not evaluate us (although she said let's face it, this is what it is) and that we work as a team to achieve that goal. She gave us some time tables (along with the fees that go with them) Basically today was a chance to get to know us a little better and clarify the autobiographies we had written (ugh I hated that written part) because she has to write up a homestudy report on us. She was very positive and even though we were there for almost 4 hours it seemed like less time.
We also got a red folder (to replace the general blue one we got at the orientation meeting) with info. about our "Road to China Adoption". Basically our next step is to finish up paperwork (more about that later) and attend 2 classes in the fall. One is on overall adoption issues and the other is geared specifically toward adopting asian kids.
Susan will be sending out our reference checks this week and asks people to get them back within 1-2 wks. (this concerns some of you so get writing!) When she gets a few back she will call us. Also we have to send out Immigration forms for advanced processing to adopt a child overseas (which I had already sent for and had with me - more later) When all referrals are in etc. Susan will come to our house and we will all go over the homestudy report, refine if necessary etc.
Finally once all the paperwork and police checks etc are completed we send our completed Chinese dossier to INS and then we begin what everyone refers to as "THE WAIT" Everyone says this is the toughest part. We'll let you know.
Ok, so we finish up with Susan and leave. Since we have the INS packet we decide we might as well go and get everything done for that. Esp with the holiday weekend coming up. (Actually I was the one who pushed for this. Frank was hungry and tired but went along with me on all this. He'll thank me later I'm sure!) The INS requirements include getting your fingerprints taken AND you can only go to INS approved places. (this is a change from previous years where you could go to your local police station why the change? because some people were doing "good" fingerprinting and some not so good. We look at the list and see only 2 police depts that will do for free. We call Darien and they tell us that they only do for Darien residents. Susan jokingly calls them "snobs" so we all decide if Darien won't do it Greenwich (the other police dept.) definitely won't. So we drive to Bpt. to the International Institute of CT. where we are greeted by a male receptionist who looks about 16. He tells us that fingerprints are only done between 9-1 and 3-5. Of course you know what time it is? 2:15. He gives us a number and says we will be first in at 3:00 So we decide to go get a drink (because we need one at this point) Not wanting to go too far in case there was a mad rush of immigrants getting fingerprints we went to the local old men's watering hole - the 19th hole for a gin and tonic.
Back to the Institute where we fill out our 2 fingerprint cards each. Frank asks the kid lots of questions about the place. It is located in an old house and smells old. Finally we are escorted by a young looking guy who takes our fingerprints. I hope I never have to go through that again. What a weird experience. The kid hardly said a word, we put lotion on our hands, we blot it dry and then he took each fingerprint etc, then we washed our hands only to do again. Afterwards I write my second check of the day for 4 sets of prints.
Now we go to Notre Dame and make copies of everything and Frank gets stuff for summer school teaching. I write my 3rd check of the day and off we go back to the post office to mail in this INS thing. We both hope we have not forgotten anything in the application because it takes about 75- 120 days for the FBI check.
So that 's it. We came home and sat out back with a gin & tonic and read through the red folder.
We were really pooped and we don't even have a baby yet!!
We will keep everyone posted.
Love,
Nancy
P.S. If anyone finds this incredibly boring and doesn't want to hear about any of this - let us know and we'll take you off the list!
7/22/97
Hi All,
Just a quick note to update you on adoption process.
Our Social Worker, Susan, called while we were at Bridget's wedding to say that the police check came in (we were found to not be hardened criminals!) and that two of the references had not come in. Ironically they were 2 that I knew for a fact had been sent in a week or so ago.
Anyway, I called her and left a voice message. She called Frank to say that she received the references right after she made the phone call. She also said if we were ready, she was ready to take the next step - so we did.
The next step is to send in an assessment of risk that basically says things can go wrong in China that the agency has no control over. Are we willing to take that chance. There are about 8-10 things we have to agree to and then initial. We also sign a paper that says we are ready to go ahead with our adopting from China and are sending in a check to cover an escrow account that will be used for various whatevers. Once Susan gets our check and signed documents she will begin writing up our homestudy that goes with the dossier.
So we sent all that in today.
Just one clarification since the last update. I was incorrect when I said that our dossier goes to China to be approved by the INS (which would make no sense) Instead it is approved by the CAC - the China Adoption Centre in Beijing.
Glad everyone is still interested. For those of you whom I am sending an update to for the first time, if you would like previous updates just let me know!
Love,
Nance
7/27/97
Hi Everyone!
Have been reading alot of info. on the net. It is unbelievable how many sites there are out there. Many of them proud parents who just want to share their experiences (and photos!) I also kept reading about the tedious part of the process involving documents, authentication etc. Since I felt I gathered all our documentation together for the application I wasn't too worried. Wrong!!! All these web sites also say the biggest thing you can pack before you even go to China is your sense of humor. They also say don't lose it! I think I did last night when we (Sat.) received a big envelope from our Social Worker Susan.
I guess we have reached that tedious part of the process which is why I woke up at 5:00 a.m. to review what we have to do next. I think my sense of humor is back or I wouldn't be writing to you all!
I also joined a listserv that deals specifically with families waiting to adopt from China. For those of you new to the web, a listserv is a big electronic bulletin board where people can post ideas, questions etc for everyone who has subscribed to see. You can also reply privately to a person or post a reply to the group. Already since I joined yesterday I have received a few hellos and welcomes which is nice. Also, another new couple to the listserv posted that they are starting their adoption and are going to our agency for the orientation mtg. What a small world! I already wrote back to them.
Now onto the big envelope!
Susan wrote to us saying this is the next step in our China journey. She wants to talk to us before Thurs. so we can get started and then she's going on VACATION! That's ok so are we- so there! (Ocean City MD from 8/2-8/8)
Anyway, remember all those documents we had to get? Things like birth certificates, marriage license, doctor's notes etc. We now have to get all of that stuff notarized AND state authenticated. So back to Virginia and Colorado our certificates go. Up to Hartford we will trek. Back to the doctor's office, our employer's office you name it - police dept etc we will go AND have all notarized.
Here's the list of stuff. Remember all notarized and authenticated.
1. Birth certificates
2. Marriage license
3. Letter of good conduct from our police dept.
4. Employment verification and salary
5. Medical report
6. First 2 pgs. of our 1040
7. Financial statement and certificate of assets prepared by us.
8. Form I-171H (we get this when our fingerprints clear and homestudy is approved)
On
the listserv and web sites people seem to complain about this one taking forever -
Anybody know someone who works for the FBI?!!!
9. Photo page of passport
** By the way just renewed ours by mail. Incredibly easy and $10.00 cheaper.
If
anyone needs the form we have it! We are form central!
10. Power of Attorney if only one of us goes to China. Right now we both plan on going
so we have to see. May get just in case...
11. Adoption application letter written to the China Centre for Adoption Affairs saying
why we want to adopt in China.
12. Photos of us, our home and family. ** The only thing that doesn't need to be
notarized. Whew!
Now after we get all this stuff together our agency will send it onto the Chinese Consulate
so it can be authenticated by the Chinese govt.
Oh, and we send another check.
Now mind you as I write this at 7:28 a.m. Frank is still sleeping and has no idea that we have to do all this stuff!
Well that's it for now. Will get back to you in about a year when we get all this stuff together! Just kidding (see I do have a sense of humor!) Shouldn't take too long?!!!
Love,
Nance
P.S. Anyone interested in some of the web addresses let me know and I'll pass onto you.
8/1/97
Hi Everyone!
Just me with another quick update. After getting the packet of stuff to do, I called Susan to clarify some things. At that time she said "oh, while I have you on the phone, let's make a date for me to come to your house"
MY HOUSE!!! The one that is in current disarray because we (well Frank and my Dad plus I did a little molding work and some doors) have been painting. That house?!!! The one that has the living room stuff in the dining room and the dining room stuff in the kitchen and so on?!!! That house?!!
So anyway we made a date for the Wed. we come back from the beach. She said "now don't clean (right!! Me who became a clean freak the moment I said "I do") and don't board the dog (who is she kidding, its' traumatic enough when we have to board Bailey for vacations!)" So she will be coming August 13 (good thing it is not a Friday!) at 8:30 a.m. She said she won't be here long. At least that is the impression I got because when I said I would have to leave by 11:30 to go to work she said "please.." - in a tone that indicated there was no way she would be there THAT long! When she comes she will have our homestudy stuff which we will all go over to make sure it is what we want it to say. I'm actually looking forward to it.
Just some quick updates on the paper chase.
Our birth certificates should be on their way back from their respective states. I sent them on Monday. When they return they will take another journey. Mine to DC and Frank's to Chicago. They have to be authenticated by the Chinese Consulate in the state that holds jurisdiction over that state. Maybe we should get them their own set of luggage?!!! With all I've spent on getting them places we could probably buy a nice new Louie V. piece for each of them.
We talked to our local police dept. and it took 3 people before we got to a person who actually understood what we wanted and actually knew the procedure. The only problem is their hrs. are very limited and we have to show id. so that will have to wait until we come back from vac.
We both got an employment verification done and mine has been notarized. I got my medical letter done. Not notarized yet. Frank will do his when we come back.
The other stuff I can type up on the computer and we will have it notarized all together.
So that's it for now. I said this would be brief. I guess not!
Take care for now!
Love,
Nance
P.S. I am loving this listserv I belong to!!! I have already had some correspondence with several people and feel really part of the group. When Frank gets done painting I am going to have him really sit down and read some of these.
8/22/97
Hi All,
Well we are back from the beach as most of you know (because you were with us!) and we had a fun and relaxing time! I'm sure you have waited with baited (sp) breath for a new update so here goes.
We met with Susan our SW on Wed. Of course when we got back from vac. things from one room were still in another etc. all because of paint job - which looks GREAT by the way! (Thanks Dad for you help!) So before Wed. we straightened up and cleaned.
Susan came in through our kitchen entrance, used the bathroom that's off the kitchen and then we sat at the dining room table and went over what she wrote for our written part of the homestudy - paragraph, by paragraph. We got a copy of the state code compliances we need to follow as licensed adoptive parents and then she gave us a letter stating that our homestudy is complete. YEY!!! She used the bathroom again before she left and that was that.
Some highlights of her visit.
She basically wrote a report that was 99% what we had said in our autobios. She added quotes from our references in support of the fact that we would be good adoptive parents and emphasized that we were seeking a healthy infant AS YOUNG AS POSSIBLE preferably b/w 6-9 months. We took away things that we felt were inaccurate or unimportant, she added things in instances where she couldn't remember exactly what we had said about certain issues and that was it. She told us that she would go back and update the changes in her computer, hand it off to the CEO of the agency for approval and then it would be on its way to the INS. (she called today (Sat) to say she sent it to INS yesterday!)
She answered some questions I had about some of the docs. we are collecting and said we should call the INS dept. in Hartford in 2 weeks to find out the status of our fingerprints. When the FBI check is done we get that important I171H form saying we have approval to adopt a child overseas! That needs to go to Hartford to be state certified with our other docs. but you can't check on the status of it until 75 days have passed since you sent it in. So...
After Susan left we went to the police station to fill out a form to get our good conduct letter. Had to go then because their hours are so limited - remember from update 5! Frank was able to pick them up on Thurs all notarized!
Speaking of docs. here is where we stand with them.
Frank's birth certificate came back from the Sec. of State the Friday before we left for the beach. Of course mine did not. I had hoped it would so I could take it with me because I had planned on asking my brother in-law if he could take mine to D.C. to the State Dept and Embassy and since I would be seeing him at the beach that would be one less express mail fee but...
At the beach Mark (my bro in-law) said he would be happy to run around D.C. for me. What a great guy!! He won't be reading this update until he goes back to work this Thurs. Just want everyone to know he got a promotion at the Library of Congress this past week! CONGRATS MARK!!
When we got back from the beach, lo and behold my birth certificates! Now I don't remember if I told you that the cost for Frank's bc's was $2.00 (per doc) while mine was $10.00. I found out why when I compared ours. Frank's from CO just has a small raised seal on a cover letter (LIKE NORMAL STATES!) Mine from VA on the other hand came back with this light blue ribbon (my bc's and state cover letter had a big brass hole at the top to weave the ribbon through) and this big, gigantic gold foil seal thing that was about a 1/2 in. thick, attached to the ribbon. The language on the letter was a bit much as well, alot of bequests and therebys, I solemnly swear etc. It was pretty funny but I don't really think that it is necessary esp since I could save $8.00 with a simple raised seal.
So here' s the lowdown:
1 On Mon. stopped at Chase Manhattan and got 2 money orders for bcs going to the Chinese consulate/embassy. Teller told me that I can get them cheaper at a 7-11. But I figured the Chinese might put more weight on a reputable bank than a convenience store known for slurpies!
2. Next on to my second home - the Post office where we sent Frank's bcs to Chinese Consulate in Chicago with a trackable express return. It's a 5-10 day turnaround.
3. Same day, same time sent my gold plated bcs to Mark with very detailed instructions, along with a personal check for State Dept. (Because mine is going the D.C. Chinese embassy it needs to visit the State dept first) This is why I wanted Mark to take so I wouldn't have to do the trackable express mail twice to D.C. Mark took care of my bcs at State dept. on Wed and left them at Embassy the same day. He will pick them up next week and send back to me in trackable mail. Hey, their travel days are almost over. Next stop, Norwalk and then - CHINA!!
4. Got marriage license (well had that from before - thank goodness we were married in CT!) police reports, doctor's letters, employment verification, and I have written all the other letters we have to attest to. Some are notarized and others we have to sign and then get notarized. Once we do that AND we receive our I-171H we send all these docs to Hartford for State cert. Well actually one set (remember we had to get 2 of everything). Then the first set goes to Susan. When she receives them she will call us and then we send the second set up to Hartford and that gets sent back to us (this is a backup set in case something gets lost, etc - let's not go there!)
5. I have made copies of our 1040's (oh, we also have to have on hand the last 3 yrs. of our income tax forms) and the first page of our passports.
6. We are in the process of taking photos of ourselves and our home.
I guess that is it for now. Sorry to be so long winded. No one has said that they want out of the update loop yet AND we actually added a few people onto the list.
Will send more updates when we get the paperwork all done. This part is exciting because it means we are getting closer to sending everything to China!
Bye for now.
Thanks for all your support and best wishes!
Love,
Nancy and Frank
8/22/97
Hi Everyone!
Today is most exciting. We received in the mail today:
1) Frank's bcs back from the consulate. The top sheet is in Chinese and has the important "chop" attached. Chops are the red stamp(s) (signature) in Chinese that say you are official! I have to say it looks incredibly COOL!
2) THE BIG NEWS - Our form I171H came today too!!!!! :-) As you all know this is the big form we need. It is basically the INS telling us that we now have their approval to adopt an orphan from a foreign country. This is the last big piece of paperwork we need. This is also the form that was supposed to take 90-120 days and we got it in 51 days!! Thank you Hartford INS!!
I had called our SW during the day for something else and she said I know why you're calling, you received your I171H (the agency gets a copy too). I said no that I was at work and hadn't gotten the mail yet. She was all apologetic that she had told me before I got home to experience getting it in the mail. I told her not to worry, that I was extremely happy and anyway Frank waited until I got home and we opened it together. VERY EXCITING!!
So here's what happens now.
Susan (SW) is sending us our homestudy in the mail (today - Fri) and we have to take that and all the other docs. up to Hartford to be authenticated. We still have a few things that need to be notarized. Then we send the one set to our agency, they translate it and it gets hand delivered to the NY Chinese Consulate. After that it all goes to Beijing!!!
I do know for a fact that our homestudy has been whittled down for the Chinese govt and the adoption agency's translator on staff - Fang, is in the process of translating our homestudy.
We also got a call from my brother in-law Mark to say that he put my bcs in the mail today. I should get those tomorrow (Sat.) Both Frank's and my bcs can be sent to FCA (our agency) on Monday because they have been notarized, certified and authenticated. YEY!!!
Again, once we get all the other stuff certified it will be sent to FCA and on their way!!!
So this is extremely, extremely exciting!!!
Take care and have a great weekend one and all!
Love,
Nancy & Frank
8/26/97
Hi Everyone!
Just me with a friendly CALM update. We had a little (BIG) scare these past 4 days, hence the subject heading. And, you thought only natural childbirth was painful!
As you all know we were quite ecstatic when Frank's birth certificates arrived and we received the long awaited I171H. My brother in-law Mark called Friday night to say that he had mailed my birth cert. at 12 p.m. or so at the P.O. that handles congressional mail. He did this because mail moves very quickly there. He was assured that I would get the pkg. before 3 on Sat. We were very happy because Susan had our final homestudy in the mail (which we got on Mon.) and we would be set to send everything either up to Htfd. or to Susan.
Well, we waited around the house all day. In fact the mailperson drove up on the other side of the street and I went over to ask if she had the pkg. She said no. But I wasn't worried because I figured it would be in the afternoon shipment. Wrong. Never came. I called Mark to get the tracking # (which I had forgotten to write down) he was working but my sis in-law Lynn gave us the number.
Since they supposedly deliver on Sun too I figured it would come then. WRONG. Mark calls and says we need to call the post office, call our congressmen, call Bill C. He was promised it would get delivered on time.
Monday comes and now I am getting panicky. I have been tracking this thing online and so far all it has said is that it was on its way and had been accepted in D.C. But, Sunday night when I check, it says it has info. on my pkg. but basically can't tell me where it is and I should call my local P.O. To me that translates to LOST! So, bright and early Mon. I call our P.O. and get a wonderful, let me say that again WONDERFUL postal worker named Vanessa. She checked that day's arrivals - no pkg. She checked the later day arrivals and calls me - no pkg. She leaves work for the day and says she will call me on Tues.
Monday night I get online with my weekly adoption chat group. One of the members (actually the host of the group) has 28 adopted kids! She said that things have been lost on her too and to not sweat it. There's not much you can do and it will probably turn up. She also said it's a bummer when it happens, but hang in there etc. She's very nice and sweet, but you know me - patience is not my middle name and the thought of going through all that again with my bc made me ill. After chat, I check once more on the mail tracker, now it says the D.C. thing again. Accepted there but going nowhere. I figure well at least they know where it is. We also got our final homestudy short (for China) and long version. I find 3 minor mistakes and leave a voice mail for Susan.
Tues. rolls around very bright and early (Frank's first day back at school) so I get up and mail track. NOW it says that awful thing again translation - LOST. Right after I disconnect Mark calls. He's been tracking at his end. I tell him what has transpired and he pretty much has the same story. We hang up promising whoever hears anything first will call the other.
I call Vanessa who says nothing is new but a big shipment comes in at 9:30. She will call me at work. I decide I am not going to think about it or track it for awhile. When Vanessa calls she is all cheerful (this doesn't help because she's always cheerful) but she said it came in and its on the truck. I have never been so relieved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She asks if anyone is going to be home and since there isn't she will send someone to pull it off the truck and it will be at the P.O. I thank her profusely. She apologized and I tell her that I will once again be entrusting her with more docs. She is very excited and says thanks for not giving up on us. (this is starting to take on the lifeform of one of those mushy Hallmark commercials!) Mark calls immediately after I hang up. He too has heard the good news. Anyway, we are all now very happy. :)))
Susan also called and said I am absolutely right about the homestudy and she has already made the corrections. She is sending out today. I tell her about all that has transpired. She says its Murphy's Law. - The one doc. you worried about....
Frank picked up the bc's after getting all the rest of our stuff notarized. YEY!!!! So, now our dining room table looks like adoption central. Notarized stuff from CT is ready to go to Hartford, just waiting for revised homestudy. In it there will be a return envelope addressed to Susan. Our bc's, passport photocopies and pictures of ourselves (which I am still working on. Diane my coworker has graciously scanned some pics for me {{{THANK YOU}}} and I am putting them on the computer to print out) will be going directly (I hope) to Susan. So, hopefully by the end of this week, beginning of next week all our docs. will be at our agency (FCA) and then soon onto China!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way did I mention my birth certificates were signed by Margaret Albright?!! Hummm... maybe that's why they took so long!
Thank you each and every person who prayed, (my mom and Diane K.) said supporting words,(Nancy J. and others) told me to be patient,(I don't think anyone told me that,) got mad (Mark) and got stressed out (Frank), You were all a great big help in your own way!!!
Love,
Nancy (and Frank - who has yet to read one of these updates and maybe just as well!)
P.S. Did I mention that I began to think maybe God was giving us a sign - like name our child Vanessa? So, I looked up what Vanessa means. It means - butterfly. Quite appropriate after the last few days. Flitting around, taking its time - sounds like my birth certificates... I think we'll pass on that one!
8/30/97
Hi Everyone,
All is well in the Sweeney household this Labor Day weekend!
Our birth cert. went out on Wed. morning along with photos of us and a copy of the first pg. of our passports. I only sent one page of photos. I did them on the computer and asked Susan to check to make sure the format and pics. were ok.
Frank waited for our revised homestudy, which arrived on Thurs. When it came he put it in the envelope and sent out to Hartford.
Now you are probably wondering did I actually do it? Use the USPO again?!! The answer is YES. On Wed. morning I went to our local grocery store and got a small bouquet of flowers and wrote Vanessa a note. I explained to her why the doc. had been so important. I arrived at the P.O. at around 8:45 a.m. and when I gave Vanessa the flowers she was deeply touched. (This was before she even read the note!) She actually leaned across the counter and gave me a hug. (I told you she was a bubbly sort of person) I felt like I was in one of those Hallmark Commercials!
Anyway, Vanessa works at the Distribution center of our P.O. so I had to drive to our other P.O. to deliver the express mail. I had already, the night before, addressed the envelope and got the other envelopes ready for Hartford. I brought everything with me to be weighed. Wrote down ALL tracking #'s When I arrived at the P.O. the clerk said that someone was on the phone about me. It was Vanessa telling the postal worker that she would explain everything later but to make sure my express mail got taken care of properly. So...
I got the bc's out Wed. morning. They arrived safely Thurs. morning. Susan says my bc is the fanciest she has ever seen and that China will be very impressed. She also said that the pics. were fine but she wanted some of the house. I already had those ready. I also got together, with the help of my mom's pics already on floppy disk, pics of our families. I sent those out Fri. morning. They should arrive today.
The package Frank sent to Hartford was supposed to arrive at 3:00 p.m. on Friday. When I checked today it had gotten there at 8:50 A.M.!! Hummm maybe Vanessa is personally handling our mail now! The important thing is it got there!
Our agency should receive the Hartford docs. (they are going directly there) sometime next week. They will be translated and then hand delivered to the Chinese Consulate in NYC. Our agency feels a group mailing does better. There are 3 other families at about the same point as we are in the process so when everyone's stuff is in and authenticated etc they will send over to China Centre for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) in Beijing. Susan says it will be in a few weeks.
So that's it for now. It seems very weird to not have to do anymore paperchasing. Even though it's only been a scant 3-4 months it has felt like an eternity! We plan to go out tonight and celebrate this latest hurdle.
By the way, after Frank dropped off the docs at the P.O. he went to our local Marshall's to look for shirts. On the way out he happened to look down and there was a small Panda Bear stuffed animal. So he bought it and gave it to me that night. I also noticed that the Chinese lantern plants in our garden, that usually come out in the fall, have already bloomed. Wonder if it's some sorta sign?!!!
Have a great Labor Day!!
Love,
Nancy and Frank
P.S. My sister-in-law Ange and my mom win the Albright prize. They noticed that it's Madeleine and not Margaret. I was just checking to see who is really reading these updates!! Just kidding - on some people's email I corrected it after.
10/13/97
Ni Hao (Hello)!
Well, it's been awhile since the last update but here's where we stand.
We are now officially in the "BIG WAIT" Our dossier went to China on Sept. 23 and arrived (I just checked via express mail!) on Sept. 27!!!!!!!!!!!! Ours went over with 3 other families - one single woman (Sharon) whom we have met, and two other couples - one of the couples has a biological child. We will probably travel with all of them. But things are always up in the air!
We have been pretty busy since our last update. We attended on Sept. 17 a general adoption class. Many of the people at the class are also adopting internationally. The next week we attended a specialized class just for people adopting asian children. They also held a class for grandparents. Both sets of grandparents attended. Both classes were very interesting and informative.
Today we attended our agency's first China Culture day. Since it was their first it was a bit disorganized, but still fun. We saw lots of families in various stages of the adoption program. We again met several of the families who already have adopted. All the kids look happy and healthy and oh so cute!
I have begun to clean out the upstairs study. We also bought a computer workstation and we're trying to figure out a good place for the computer. Once the study is cleaned out we will begin to paint, decorate etc. This week we are also having one of our trees in the back yard removed. It is very dead and we want to get it down before it falls down! In Feb. we are going to have the downstairs floors redone and finish doing the baby's room. So we will try and keep busy over the next months in anticipation of the "call"
You probably won't hear too much about the adoption for another 8-9 months.
Here is an estimated timeline and what happens in this part of the process:
Translation Checking Office - Translations are taking 4 to 5 months (from date dossier is received)
First Checking Office - 2 months
1. The office determines if families are eligible for Chinese adoption
2. The office determines the nature of child the family may receive
(healthy or special needs, infant or older child).
3. Families Divided into two separate groups:
- Healthy
- Special Needs
Second Checking Department - Assignment of the baby - approx. 2 months
Travel Permission - After referral you must wait for travel permission before departing to pick up your daughter - 3-4 weeks.
So there you have it! We are approaching the one month down ?? to go.
In the meantime yesterday we became godparents and that was very exciting! We feel very blessed and honored to be Matthew David Sweeney's godparents. We told him that pretty soon he won't be the newest Sweeney anymore!
Take care everyone!
Love,
Nancy and Frank
2/15/98
Hello Everyone,
Just an update on what we have been doing during the wait. We are almost down 5 months with approx. 4 more months to go. So far it has not been too bad because of the holidays and keeping busy. I am sure once we reach the 6-7 mo. mark we will begin to get a little edgy! :)
So for now I will recap the past couple months...
The weekend before Christmas our church has an annual event where they invite expectant parents to come up to the front of the church and the congregation prays over them. Frank and I went to the Sat. 5:30 mass and were the ONLY ONES at that mass. Needless to say it was a little embarrassing!! Fr. Tom (our pastor) said it included adoptive parents too, but it still felt funny although it was very nice. During the prayer I was clutching Frank's hand in one hand and my little stuffed panda bear in the other.
Also before Christmas I finally told my staff and people I work with about the adoption. (To Frank's relief. He has been wanting to tell all of his students, but some of them come to the library and I didn't want my staff to find out from them or their parents!) I am constantly amazed at the outpouring of support and happiness people express and this was no exception. Everyone was thrilled! In fact a few people said that this news was the best Christmas gift. How wonderful! After Christmas I also began telling those library patrons I feel particularly close to. Same reaction! It is also amazing that practically everyone we've told says in the next breath "we know someone who just came back... or our relative just adopted from China, (or another country)"
Christmas felt kinda weird this year. And was very emotional for me. I kept thinking while writing cards that next year there will be another name to add!
For Christmas we gave our parents and ourselves a calendar that is put out by Indiana chapter of the FCC (Families with Children From China) It features all adopted kids and has the holidays celebrated on the calendar. We also gave them a peasant painting from China and bought one for ourselves. We will probably hang it in the baby's room. I also found some Christmas fortune cookies and so every family got one on Xmas Eve.
Since Sept. I have been buying a few clothes for our future daughter. Just felt like I had to take advantage of those sales! Plus needed to do something!! Christmas also brought some cute outfits from relatives. And, we received her first doll - from Grandma. A Precious Moments asian doll. Very cute! When we went for the annual Sweeney reunion I also bought a few things. Hey, Carters and Oshkosh were having hugh sales with 30%-70% off. I couldn't pass that up! I figure anything we can't use we can donate to the orphanage.
During the last several months Frank and I began our series of travel shots. In Nov. we went to the Norwalk Health Dept. and received our first Hepatitis A & B shots and then went back in Dec. for our second Hep.B When May rolls around we will go back and receive our final Hep. A & B. shots. We will also get a tetanus shot. So our arms have been sore!!
We also celebrated our first Chinese New Year. It was alot of fun. I did some programs at the library, one of which made the local (very local) news! Frank and I also went out with Maria and Tyler (our friends) on the first day of the New Year (Jan. 28) to our local Chinese restaurant. We usually get take-out so this was alot of fun. We wished the staff a happy new year and at the end of the meal the owner came over to our table and gave each couple a box of green tea. He wished us a happy new year and luck for the coming year.
The most exciting thing that has happened recently is the wallpapering and painting of the baby's room. Frank painted the walls white and Grammy came down last Friday (Feb. 13) to wallpaper and border. It looks great! Today I am going to paint the trim. We didn't paint it beforehand because I wasn't sure what color it should be. But we decided to go with white. The room is a Noah theme and as soon as I get some pics. I will put them up on the web.
I continue to spend time reading and writing messages to the listserv I belong to. It has been a great support for me. I also run a chat group on Thurs. nights and have met people from all over the US. We even chatted with a couple leaving for China the next day!
One of the things that has helped our wait is the fact that we have been doing projects to keep busy. Frank insulated the attic over Christmas break. Therefore, all the stuff in the attic had to go in the basement. We recently bought some shelving and Frank organized the stuff that I had brought down there. We had the dead tree removed from the backyard. (Frank is very happy... esp. when we have a storm!) and we are having the hardwood floors redone next week while we are on vacation. Frank is also involved with the basketball team at school. I am in a cabaret for my old parish, so have been going to practices for that. Soon we both will be involved in ND's school play and the garlic fest. That brings us up to May!! And referral should be right around the corner!! I have to say that the wait has not been too difficult. I think we have been enjoying these last months of "couplehood" knowing that our lives will soon be a changin'!!
I'm pretty sure that's it. I have (as many of you know) put up a personal Sweeney web page. Please visit it! And, if you do SIGN THE GUESTBOOK!!
Web page address: http://pages.prodigy.net/nsweeney/index.htm
Hope all is well with everyone. Will write more soon!
Love,
Nance
4/21/98
Hello Everyone,
Referrals have started to come in fast and furious on my listserv. Families who had dossiers go over in June, July and August are all of a sudden getting the good news. Everyone is buzzing with excitement, panic and are just plain overwhelmed. Especially since just a few months ago things seemed to be slowing down!
Based on all of this I finally called our agency last Friday and was told by Fang, the woman who actually handles the dossiers and their tracking, to expect our "call" at the end of May or the beginning of June. Our dossier went over in Sept (as you all should know!) Our agency just received their July referrals and did not send any over in Aug. --so theoretically we are NEXT!! :) We are now in fastmode! Sunday we went out and bought a crib. We are now in the process of deciding on a mattress and a camcorder.
Frank is on vacation this week and so our house is in disarray once again. The baby's room is full of furniture, from our bedroom, which is being painted. We are sleeping in the guestroom and then will switch. Once the last 2 bedrooms are painted we should be in business! The hardwood floors are done and a few minor things have to be finished and then it's BABY TIME. :)
Once we get our referral we should travel late June or early July. There goes my 20th high school reunion---which takes place July 11. We are hoping to go a little earlier if we can get a good flight deal. Anyone out their wanna give up some FF miles??!!
So, I guess this is the last update until --- the BIG ONE!!!
As always, check out the Sweeney web page. And if you visit, sign the guestbook!!
Love,
Nance and Frank (who last week were panicky but are now starting to calm down!)