Things have been a wee bit crazy around here! I'm feeling a bit like a whackadoodle!!
So here's the best way I can explain this:
REGULAR INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION PROCESS:
Apply and complete application for homestudy agency (your local agency)
Complete homestudy (a big packet o' paper about your family)
Apply and complete application for placement agency (they actually have the program in your country)
Complete dossier (the big 'ol packet of paper that gets sent to your country of choice)
Dossier arrives in said country
Dossier is reviewed, translated, and logged in to the adoption authorities
Referral of child
Acceptance of Referral
More paperwork and waiting
Travel to visit (most countries now require 2 trips, one visit, one pick-up)
Wait
Travel to pick-up child
SCHMIDT ADOPTION #2 PROCESS:
Call your social worker at your homestudy agency and say "We're ready to do this again!"
Referral
See how whackadoodle this is?!
Here's a peek at our timeline:
March 17th-Officially decided to adopt again
March 17th-25th Explored and prayed over all adoption options (domestic, international, foster)
April 27th-Reviewed country choices for our first placement agency of choice, All God's Children International (AGCI) in Oregon
April 28th-Submitted free pre-application for All God's Children International-chose the Philippines
May 1st- Began working on gathering medical letters in support of Jeremy's stable health
May 2nd-Touch base with our homestudy agency Special Children Inc. (SCI)
May 7th-Jeremy's personal medical letter sent to AGCI
May 14th-Confirmation-alll medical letters have arrived at AGCI, approved by social services department, but still encouraged to choose another country-we choose Bulgaria
May 31st-Touch base again with SCI
June 7th-Phone call with Deb, our social worker/case worker at SCI (we used her with AJ's adoption too!)
June 8th-(Our Anniversary) SCI Homestudy Packet arrives
June 14th-Announce to family and friends we are adopting again!
June 20th-Creation of our Adoption Puzzle Fundraiser on GoFundMe
June 20th-First puzzle piece donation made!
June 20th-Submitted formal application and fee to AGCI
June 21st-Received initial call about a little girl in Bulgaria who needs a home through another placement agency-Americans for International Aid and Adoption (AIAA) in Michigan
June 24th-Received official referral information for Mimi
June 25th-Submission of referral documents to pediatrician, ophthlamologist, University of Minnesota International Adoption Clinic, PT, SLP, and Vision Specialist
June 27th-Accepted Mimi's referral
June 27th-Letter of Intent specific to Mimi signed and notarized
June 28th-(AJ's birthday) Announced Mimi's referral publicly
June 28th-Mailed Letter of Intent to Secretary of State in Madison, WI to be apostilled
July 3rd-Received apostilled Letter of Intent from Madison
July 5th-Mailed apostilled Letter of Intent to AIAA
July 5th-AIAA Packet with Formal Application arrives
July 8th-Letter of Intent is received at AIAA
July 19th-Confirmation that Letter of Intent is in Bulgaria with the translator
July 23rd-SCI Homestudy visit/75% of required documents, including formal application and fee are submitted
July 25-27th-Operation Mimi Rummage!
July 25th-Formal application, fee, and other forms sent to AIAA
July 30th-Officially place our application on indefinite hold with AGCI and inform them of Mimi and AIAA
July 30th-Confirmation from AIAA that Letter of Intent is at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in Bulgaria
July 30th-MOJ requests POA, Declaration, and Personal Statement to be completed and submitted ASAP
Homestudy report completed
Apply for adoption grants and scholarships
Dossier packet arrives from AIAA
I-800 Apply to USCIS for Immigration Approval & Obtain Fingerprinting Appointment
Wine/Beer Tasting & Silent Auction Fundraiser
Wait on immigration approval I-171H
Dossier put together
NOVEMBER AT THE LATEST-Dossier sent to Bulgaria
Dossier logged in at the Ministry of Justice (takes 2-4 weeks from arrival)
Travel to visit
One month lapses
Travel again to pick-up-Mimi!
Other updates:
We are just short of 200 pieces of our puzzle being claimed! Wahoo! Jeremy and I so enjoyed documenting our puzzle peeps on the back of each piece when the first hundred were claimed! We're excited for the next hundred....
Our rummage was wildly successful! We had three days of Operation Mimi full steam ahead. Thursday was our best day, with the rain putting a damper on Friday and Saturday being football weather. We sent Jeremy for hot chocolate it was so cold. Thank you to EVERYONE who donated, brought tables, made simply sinful baked goods, and prayed over our rummage and our baby girl! We are blessed. I will post soon about the most humbling experience I've had since we were in Guatemala picking up AJ. It's a doosie.
You'll notice some new features on the blog on our right sidebar...we've added time and weather widgets for Sofia, Bulgaria. It's always nice to know when Mimi's having a sunny day. We've also added the timeclocks for when we both finish school...so looking forward to zeros on those clocks!
So that's the word bird. We'll be sure to update everyone as things proceed. That is the beauty of cut and paste, folks. Yes.
Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you...
I Chronicles 28:20
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