Our Timeline

Last September(2005) we began our journey to adopt a baby. After alot of research we decided to adopt a baby boy from Taiwan and chose Family and Children's Agency in Connecticut. We are in the birthmother program. Our baby will be at Cathwell in Taipai in Jonah house. It is a beautiful orphanage. The birthmother will pick us once we get to the top of the list. We will most likely meet her when we pick up William.
We started our homestudy in late September and finished it in December. Our homestudy required us to take an adoption class, be interviewed by a social worker multiple times. She came to our home and also interviewed my daughters. We had criminal checks done and alot of paperwork!! We had physicals which required all four of us to have Tb shots. We had to write autobiograhies and get references from family and friends. A lot more complicated than I once thought. When the homestudy was completed, we sent it off to Taiwan along with a dear birthmother letter and photo album. We then began the process of getting approval from Homeland Security which included fingerprinting. At the end of December (2005) we were put on the waiting list for an infant boy under the age of nine months. We were told the average wait for a healthy infant is 8-10months. It is now mid September and I am hoping for a quicker referral. But seeing the timelines of others, I think Christmas or later will be likely.
When we receive a referral, we will get all the medical information on our baby and pictures. We will then get our paperwork certified and authenticated as quickly as possible and send it to Taiwan. We then will be put into the court system. This will take four to five months, Hopefully. When we receive our final decree we will get a travel call. They will give us approximately three weeks advance notice to leave. We will travel to Taiwan on Eva air. My mom has connections and may be able to get a couple of tickets. We are going to be bringing my older daughter with us. When we get to Taiwan we will pick up our son. We are naming him after my husband-William. We will incorporate his real name into his new name. I will let you know when we know who he is. We will pick him up at Jonah house and bring him back to the hotel. The next day we will have an appointment at AIT and the next day we will get his Visa and may meet the birthmom. All this could be different but I just want to give you an idea of how things may go. After that we bring him home.

Right now I am waiting and keeping busy. I have been doing some shopping, because I threw out or gave away all my baby stuff from my daughters. I didn't think I would be having another child. I have been working alot and trying to pass the time. I sent away for our birth certificates for our passports. We all had the wrong kind. Then I will get those ordered. I know the call will come, but the waiting is getting to me. I know the court waiting will be worse than this, but sometimes I go crazy and don't think I can make it one more month.