PAPERWORK WOES

Monday morning. Time to make a few phone calls. We have been stuck in the adoption process again and are wondering if this is EVER going to happen. Today we were determined to try to get a few answers. Do you remember that my finger prints were denied delaying the process by several weeks?? Well, while we were trying to clear my prints, the process (for families adopting from a Hague country) and some of the paperwork has changed. So... our home study which we thought was approved a long time ago had to be reexamined. There are evidently some deficiencies that need to be satisfied in order for us to move on to the next step. Most of that can be handled by our adoption counselor (Jill), but she was unable to find out exactly what those deficiencies were...until today. The latest is that she is pretty sure that the home study is now compliant and that we can move on to the next step. She couldn't be 100% sure because she had already gotten 3 calls today from the National Benefit Center (each time) asking for more specific information about us. I should find out if we "passed" tomorrow.

I knew that our case was the first for our adoption counselor to proceed through this new system and it has been rather challenging. However, I didn't realize that it has been a major problem for everyone else adopting from a Hague country. She informed me that 100% of home study cases have been denied since they put this new system into motion. Not just in Minnesota... but nationally!! She also informed me that at Crossroads Adoption Agency (our agency!), our family is on the top of the list, but there are at least 20 other families in line behind us who are also waiting to work through this process.

I asked Jill..."Do you think this will be the BIGGEST hurdle for us to jump over? We are ready to go ahead with all of our other paperwork, etc... Will things start to move a bit faster? Can you give me any kind of timeline? " She wanted to be optimistic, but she was honest in saying that she just doesn't know. This is new territory for all adoption agencies and we just need to be persistent in taking one step at a time. I appreciate all of Jill's help and patience as Allen and I call her several times each week. I panicked this morning when I learned that she would be in for only a few hours this afternoon, then on vacation until next Monday. (I suppose it's much like when your doctor leaves town for a week and you are about to deliver!!)
At any rate, there will be another person at Crossroads that will monitor our case this week.

I keep thinking that this would not have been a problem if my fingerprints had been approved the first time. I know that there is nothing I could have done about that, but I sure wish we would have been able to move our paperwork through under the OLD protocol. Who knows, maybe we would have already been on our way to Cebu???

Here is what I need from you. 1- People ask us ALL the time-"When are they coming? Are they here?" I don't mind the questions. It is great to know that people care. Just know that we really don't know. It is a very helpless feeling, but we are at the mercy of all the red tape! 2- Please pray that this will move through quickly. We are starting to lose hope that they will be here by the time school starts. That wouldn't be the end of the world, but we think it would be best for them to come sooner than later. Roselyn asks frequently how the paperwork is going and if we have an idea of when we are coming. All of this is a bit stressful and it is hard to be patient. So... please pray that our kids will be in Cambridge by the time school starts. That is only about six weeks away. We would appreciate it. That's all for now. It's hard to explain all of what has been happening these last few weeks, but I hope this was helpful.