Oh yeah! I've waiting to see you post that. My name is Amy Woods. We spoke through email about a year ago. You were just leaving to get Libby. We are also adopting from China and have accepted a special needs referral. I look forward to following your journey to Ethiopia!!
Yeah!!!! I am so excited for you all! I will have to call you sometime and tell you what is going on in our household! You will be surprised!!! Love to you all! Julie for the Wilson clan
Hey Guys! We are Zack & Rebecca Caldwell- AWAA family! I was just checking out your website and realized that our praise team sings many of your songs! How cool is that! Praying for you guys as you start this part of your journey!!!
Home Study Checklist - (items in pink are finished!!!)
1. Formal Application 2. Adoptive Parents' Right to Information Form 3. Autobiographies (4-5 pages each) 4. Authorization/Consent for the Disclosure of Confidential Info Form 5. Criminal Background Check Consent Form 6. Drivers License Photocopies 7. Social Security Card Photocopies 8. Fee Agreement Form 9. Payment for Home Study and Post-placement fees 10. Guardianship Statement Form 11. Residential History Form (goes back 10 years!) 12. Statement of Faith Form 13. Medical Examination and Forms for Billy and Cindy 14. Medical Form for Libby 15. Fire Protection Checklist - completed by county/city fire dept. 16. Environmental Health Checklist - completed by county/city health dept. 17. Home Ownership Proof 18. Birth Certificate Copy (for children only) - different for Libby since she doesn't have a US birth cert. yet 19. Marriage License Photocopy 20. Health Insurance Proof of Coverage for adopted child 21. 1040 Tax Form - photocopy 22. AWAA Financial Statement Photocopy 23. Sketch of home floor plan - labeling purposes and measurements of each room 24. Photos of outside of home 25. Employment Verification Letters - photocopies 26. Reading Agreements 27. AW Home Study Agreement - TX 28. Home Study Agency Agreement 29. Home Study Post Placement Agreement 30. Reference Letters (3) 31. All 4 home study visits are done and home study is approved and notarized!
Dossier Checklist (pink = completed)
Each of the following items must be obtained, notarized, state certified, then sent to US State Department, then on to the Ethiopian Embassy. Words in pink= completed.
1. Application letter - written, notarized, State certified, US State Dept, Ethiopian Embassy 2. Billy's Birth Cert. - obtained, no notarization needed, State certified, USSD, ET Embassy 3. Cindy's Birth Cert. - obtained, no notarization needed, State cert, USSD, ET Embassy 4. Marriage Cert - obtained,no notarization needed, State cert, USSD, ET Embassy 5. Billy's and Cindy's Physical Exam Forms: obtained, notarized, state cert, USSD, ET Embassy 6. Proof of Medical/Health Ins: obtained, notarized, State cert,USSD, ET Embassy 7. Proof of Life Insurance: obtained, notarized, State cert,USSD, ET Embassy 8. Financial Statement: obtained, notarized, State cert, USSD, ET Embassy 9. Billy's Employment Verification: obtained, notarized, State cert, USSD, ET Embassy 10. Cindy's Non-employment Verification: written, notarized,State cert,USSD, ET Embassy 11. Home Study Report: obtained,State cert, USSD, ET Embassy 12. 3 Letters of Reference: obtained 3, State cert 2, USSD, ET Embassy 13. Billy's and Cindy's Police Clearance: obtained, notarized, State Cert, USSD, ET Embassy 14. USCIS I-171H: obtain, notarize, State cert, USSD, ET Embassy 15. Power of Attorney: obtained, notarized, State cert, USSD, ET Embassy 16. Agency Recommendation: obtained, notarized, State cert, USSD, ET Embassy 17. Agency Post Placement Agreement: obtained, notarized,state cert, USSD, ET Embassy 18. 2 passport photos of Billy and Cindy: obtain,no notarization or other steps required. 19. 2 sets of color family photos:obtained, no other steps needed 20. Copies of photo pages of each of our passports:obtained, no other steps needed
Adoption Costs So Far...
38. Fee owed in ET: $400
37. Visas on arrival to ET: total - $60.00
36. Haven't even come close to listing all the over night shipments, baby items, packing items, international travel items, etc purchased along the way.
35. In-Country travel package for stay in ET: estimated to be $1400 for 3.
34. Air travel to ET (for 3 going and 3 plus one lap seat returning) PLUS 2 nights in Dubai and one desert excursion - $6100.00
33. Upon receiving referral - paid between 3-4,000 dollars (I think) for last agency fee and international fee and post placement. (I need to go check receipt)
32. IS PROBABLY LEAVING SOMETHING OUT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN TOO LONG SINCE SHE'S UPDATED THIS LIST!
31. Travel toys (special books!) for Libby's trip to ET - $40.00
30. Hague Training - couples fee - $175.00
29. Social Worker's Flight for home visit: $169.00
28. Environmental Health Inspection Fee (on new house): $46.35
27. Home Study Addendum Fee: $400.00 26. Caseworker Travel Expenses: $65.00 25. TX State Certification fees = $100.00 24. Two overnight shippings (1 out, 1 return) (2/22) = $40.28 23. Two overnight shippings (1 out, 1 return) plus a fax (2/19) = $64.80 22.. Four overnight shippings of docs (2 out, 2 return) and fax (1/16) = $122.00 21. VA State Cert. Fee (1 doc) = $10.00 20. KY State Cert. Fee (1 doc) = $5.00 19. SC State Cert. Fee (2 docs) = $4.00 18. CPA - employment verf. letter +fedex = $45.00 17. Homestudy house photos: $6.98 16. First Aid Kit (required for Env. Health Insp): $19.98 15. Fax to Duni of docs gathered so far: $8.91 14. Marriage Certficate (SC) (1/4/08): $29.95 13. Environmental Health Inspection Fee: $46.35 12. Shipment of HS and PP fees (priority mail): $4.00 11. Post Placement Fees to AWA-TX (1/31/08): $1,125.00 10. Home Study Fees to AWA-Texas (1/31/08): $2000.00 9. Criminal background clearances (1/30/08): $30.00 8. Photo pages/printing of pics: $15.00 7. Express Shipment of docs/fees to USCIS: $16.25 6. USCIS - filing fee and fingerprint fees: $670 + $160 = $830 5. Shipment of AWAA agreements: $27.66 4. AWAA initial program fee (1/18/08): $1,000.00 (since this is our 2nd. adoption with AWAA this first payment was $500.00 less than normal and our third program fee will also be $500 off). 3. Cindy's birth cert. (SC) (1/08): $29.95 2. Billy's birth certificate (KY) (1/08) : $20.50 1. AWAA application fee (12/29/07): $250.00
Adoption Time-Line
May 19, 2009 - hoping to receive call in the morning saying we can leave tomorrow afternoon for ET. Waiting on daughter's birth certificate in ET to be completed!!!! Praying all night!
May 13, 2009 - PASSED COURT! Tseganesh became Aria Lu Grace Foote with a new hope and inheritance in more ways than one!
April 14, 2009 - REFERRAL for 3 month, 5.6 pound baby girl!
March 2009 - turned in completed home study addendum
Feb 2009 - started home study addendum process for new address
Nov.9 - 15 - experienced lots of stress and anxiety this week and remembered that the last time I felt like this was in Nov and Dec of 2005. Libby was born that Nov. 23, 2005 (which I was not aware of at the time) and now I wonder if Aria-Lu will be born this week/month....hmmmm....praying!
November 13 - 5 months officially waiting!!!
October - submitted papers for home study addendum (address change for new house - new environmental health inspection, new fire inspection, new photos and copy of HUD showing ownership of new home - all required - plus future home visit by social worker).
October 13 - 4 months officially waiting
September 13 - 3 months officially waiting
August 13 - 2 months officially waiting
July 13 - 1 month officially waiting
June 13 - all docs completed. Dossier is shipped to ET -This is our official DTE date!
June 5 - Log in Date - Dossier arrived in VA office.
June 4 - Finished State Certifications in Austin and Mailed Dossier to AWAA!!!!
June 3 - after much frustration regarding fingerprints and re-fingerprints - 171-H arrived today!
April 15 - Got fingerprints done today!!
April 12 - USCIS letter stating fingerprints appointment date/times arrived today. Appointment is set for April 23 - but I'm hoping we can get in before that.... we'll see...
March 31 - home study reports arrived at our house at 8am - by 9am one copy was in the mail to USCIS!
By March5 - finished all 4 home study visits. Received TX certified docs back.One had a minor error. Contacted CPA to re-notarize Billy's employment verification letter. Have already received corrected doc back. Waiting to State Certify it until I have last reference letter, homestudy and 171-H. Feb. 22 - UPS mailed most of our docs to Austin for State Cert. today.
Feb. 21 - received SC State certified docs this morning (by UPS, of course!!) Only TX State certs left to go!!!!! (but I still have more docs to obtain before TX cert)
Feb. 19 - Billy's birth certificate arrived with the glorious gold seal. It's State Certified! The VA doc has also returned State Certified! AND our notarized proof of life insurance arrived today as well!!! Also - I mailed off my birth cert and our marriage cert to SC for State certification. Only TX State certifications left to do once all docs are collected!! Woohoo!!
Feb. 16 - sent Billy's birth cert. off for KY State Certification. Sent a doc. to VA for State Certification. Notarized ammended Application to Ethiopia. Faxed ammended doc and 2 references letters to Duni. Marriage License arrived!!!
By Feb. 15 - 2 notarized references received for dossier, today Sarah (social worker) called and set first home study visit for Feb. 28th. at 2pm, faxed docs were approved, gathering info for state certifications - will ship KY doc for state cert. tomorrow. Aria's room mostly finished (except pics/mirror/some decor). Requested letter from life insurance co. for notarized letter (proof of life ins. requirement for dossier paperwork).
Feb. 11 - pick up notarized medical forms, fire inspection at 11AM, UPS completed home study packet to AWA-TX! Faxed more docs to Duni (family coordinator) for approval.
Feb. 8 - Employment Verfication Letter from CPA received via FedEx!!! That was SUPER FAST!
By Feb. 7 - Financial statement completed. Guardianship statement completed, reference questionnaires and reference letter info sent out to our 3 references, photos taken of outside/inside home, proof of health insurance completed! Sent e-mail to CPA requesting Billy's employment verification letter. Made copy of 2006 1040 tax form, home ownership proof copied, statement of faith signed, formal application (for homestudy) completed, other homestudy docs signed. Environmental Health Inspection passed!
Feb. 5 - Doctor appointments went well. Environmental Health Dept. called (SO FAST!) and set appointment for Thursday the 7th. Hello!
Feb. 4 - Dossier packet arrived, fees for Environmental Health Inspection were paid, ordered new marriage certificate, residential history was completed. Reading agreement completed. Home sketch/measurements completed, copies made of birth, marriage certificates along with drivers licenses and social security cards - for homestudy.
By Jan. 31 - Home study packet arrived! Autobiographies were re-written.
By Jan. 25 - initial program fee was paid, I-600A was sent, family photos were completed, autobiographies were written, we received word that our homestudy packet was in the mail to us. Also we went to Police station and received criminal background clearances (notarized and all!)
By Jan. 15, 2008 - Birth certificates were ordered and received, passports needed no updating, and doctor appointments were made for physicals.
Dec. 30, 2007 - Applied on-line for AWAA's Ethiopia program
Dec. 28, 2007 - Decided to adopt from Ethiopia. Began gathering info for AWAA application.
7 comments:
Oh yeah! I've waiting to see you post that. My name is Amy Woods. We spoke through email about a year ago. You were just leaving to get Libby. We are also adopting from China and have accepted a special needs referral. I look forward to following your journey to Ethiopia!!
Yippee!!
YAY GOD! Continuing on prayer for your family and for Aria.
Love,
Holly
Yeah!!!!
I am so excited for you all! I will have to call you sometime and tell you what is going on in our household! You will be surprised!!!
Love to you all!
Julie for the Wilson clan
Very excited for you. We are waiting for our court date on Feb. 8th. Welcome to AWAA family.
Lenka
Welcome to our YG and AWAA! You have such a cute family!
http://rogersadoptionstory.blogspot.com/
Hey Guys! We are Zack & Rebecca Caldwell- AWAA family! I was just checking out your website and realized that our praise team sings many of your songs! How cool is that! Praying for you guys as you start this part of your journey!!!
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