We are so excited to be on a journey to grow our family through adoption. There is much to share about our story and how we ended up beginning this adventure, too much to post all at once. With each step forward we learn new things about this process and the wait grows harder. As we wait, I’ve found encouragement and tips by reading blogs of others on similar journeys. I find myself soaking up the stories of others – little things, like how long should it take to get a document approved, and big things, like how to prepare for the early months of bonding.
While we celebrate little steps like getting fingerprints taken and get anxious over long waits, I’ve been sharing parts of our journey here on my blog. I have five kids…four in my arms, five in my heart….
We’ve been waiting to begin the adoption process for nearly seven years. Here are a few ‘background’ posts from oldest to the latest…little snippets while we waited to get going. You can find all my posts related to adoption, advocacy, foster care, etc by going to the very bottom of the blog to the “Categories” option, look for “adoption & advocacy”:
I was reading a friend’s blog and he challenged his readers to share how an orphan has changed your life. I love t...View full post »
UPDATE: CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. So real quick I’ll answer your questions from yesterday…the family pictures w...View full post »
I can’t believe I am even writing Day 18. My daughter and I have been in the hospital for 18 days. In this hospita...View full post »
You know I love being a mom (at least I sure hope you can pick that up reading this blog). Kids – all kids ̵...View full post »
Below are the posts I’ve written regarding our adoption journey. The are listed from the earliest to the latest….roll over the images, click to view the post.
So…nothing new on the adoption front. We are waiting word that our dossier (all our paperwork) is done getting US ...View full post »
*this is the second half of this story, make sure to read the first part (click here to read it) (This update was also a...View full post »
It is 11:45 on Sunday night. I basically never stay up this late writing a post for the next day. All weekend I have bee...View full post »
Our 10 year anniversary was September 1st. We dropped kids off in the morning and then headed to the airport for a fligh...View full post »
It has been two years since we have had family pictures taken. When FireCracker was a couple of months old, my friend Sh...View full post »
If you have ever been pregnant, you know what those first few months of anticipation are like. You can feel things chang...View full post »
I have a ridiculous amount of journals. I can’t help myself. There is something about all that untouched paper bou...View full post »
Yesterday, I posted a little iphone pic of a new pillow. My friend gave it to me as a birthday gift…white, teal, r...View full post »
When I was pregnant with my oldest, I scoured this book every night. EVERY NIGHT. How big is the baby now? What is growi...View full post »
Yesterday we woke up really early. Well, 3 of us woke up early…the other 3 were sleeping somewhere else. We stoppe...View full post »
“Thanksgiving.” Webster’s defines it as ‘the act of giving thanks’. The act…so it is...View full post »
I made them a fort on my bed. The boys were not happy with the fabric choices, but they got over it. My room. Boys are a...View full post »
Mr. Tinkles Poopsalot is learning Mandarin with us. So far he is picking up the tonal aspects much better than the rest ...View full post »
Pack everything up. Hug family goodbye. Grab a coffee and oatmeal for the road trip home. Grandma picked up our mail yes...View full post »
June 3, 2011 – Mailed our application to Living Hope Adoption Agency (LHAA) to begin a China Special Needs/Waiting Child adoption
June 13, 2011 – Got our acceptance letter from LHAA
June 15, 2011 – Mailed our contract to LHAA
August 19, 2011 – Mailed off all the needed documents to begin our homestudy visits
September 1, 2011 – first homestudy visit (3 more during September & October)
October 12, 2011 – rec’d final copies of homestudy, mailed off our I800-A
November 22, 2011 – fingerprint appointment for USCIS
December 22, 2011 – USCIS approved our I800A
December 27, 2011 – received I800A approval in the mail
December 28, 2011 – mailed our dossier to LHAA
February 6, 2012 – DTC (dossier to China, lots of delay due to new years and Chinese New Year)
Next step? – waiting for our LID (log in date…China confirming we are in their system)
For those adopting from China we’ve found the China Adopt Talk forum (aka Rumor Queen) to be so useful.
by AshleyAnn
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jen - My heart aches each time you mention the wait. I adopted my daughters from China, first, in a mainstream adoption and the second, in the special needs program. The waiting was the worst. You won’t regret it!
Dawn G - Good luck with your adoption, Adoption rocks! take care, dawn g
ajira - I am so thrilled for you. So excited to read about each step in the journey and so inspired. I too have a huge heart for babies. Still on my first and have already been dreaming about my next and have always held five in my heart. CAn’t wait to (virtually)meet your little!
waiting for holden « thelittleeverydaythings - [...] Mom, Ashley Ann, happens to be a wonderful photographer and took this image…depicting their waiting experience. How [...]
Ten on Tuesday! » Homegrown Photography - [...] be so jealous! I’d give anything to adopt a little girl from China! Anyhow! Ashley-Ann blogs about the process in such a real and completely wonderful way! I’m going to be a mess once [...]
Katie Jo - we are fellow China special Need peeps. We have two sweeties from China and one little boy with SN, a little nub for a hand. WE are so in love with our son, he has been home for about a year and a half. Anyway, bless you on your journey:)
Melis - I ve been reading your blog for a long time.Be sure that you and your lovely family are receiving prays from Istanbul whenever I read your blog.I wish you all the best and I am sure that you will give that new baby the best home in the world.
Sheyann - Congratulations! We have one son adopted domestically and are going to adopt through the China Special Needs program in three years (we have to wait until I’m 30). So excited to read about your journey!
Anne - I visit your website periodically and must have somehow missed that you were adopting – Congrats! Brought home our little guy with cleft lip/palate from China in June 2011. It has been a long tough and wonderful road and such a life-changing blessing. We have 2 other bio guys (ages 6 and 4) and have frequented your site, checking out your playroom and other organizational fun ideas. Praying for a speedy paperwork process!
Lisa O - Found your blog on Pinterest–you have a beautiful family and amazing talent! Congratulations on beginning the incredible journey of adoption. We have two beautiful daughters from China and some days I cannot believe I’m so blessed to be their Mommy. You will find incredible support in the Chinese adoption community.
Many blessings to you!
Lisa
Bucket List « Tied Up With String - [...] but in case you haven’t checked them out, here are the links: Andrew + Carissa and Under the Sycamore. Andrew and Carissa have had a long journey to adopt Rinah, a little girl from Uganda. I first [...]
kijsa - just popped over from Pinterest and the adoption link caught my eye. We just celebrated the first anniversary of our gotcha day and a full year of new blessings- prayers for the amazing journey ahead for you and your family…worth every minute of nail biting, hand wringing, third follow-up phone calls & missing paperwork! In short…as with any delivery of any child…no matter their method of transport…the beauty is in the uniting together as a family! Blessings,
Kijsa
Karina - Ashley,
I have been a follower of your blog and facebook and everything of yours! God has given you a gift! I am so thrilled to hear you are adopting! I, myself am adopted from Calcutta India. God used my parents to bring me to Him…that was such a gift. I even had the opportunity to go back to India and share the gospel! Continue to shine bright for him; in EVERYTHING you do…the enemy will try and try to get you down by throwing lies at you through fellow bloggers or readers. You are not in this world to please others but to please your Savior. I admire you; and adore your thrifty nifty ideas!
Karina
http://www.simplyanandi.etsy.com
Christy - On sunday our family celebtated our 5th ” forever family day” . 5 years ago my daughter was placed in my arms in a hotel in China. We waited 14months and she was worth every minute of the wait! The wait can be long and stressful, but when they place your child in your arms, all is forgotten.
elisa - wow! I haven’t had much time to read blogs lately as we are in the process of moving our family south- but I was thrilled to see that you are going down this road today when I popped in, can’t wait to read all the posts I have missed.
We adopted #4 (and I still consider one more….) and it was the best thing ever.
Good luck on your journey!
Tamra - I found your site looking for Silhouette Cameo ideas…and clicked on the Adoption button! Congratulations on starting your journey…we adopted from Bulgaria in May 2002 at age 24 mo and she is now 11 1/2 yrs old…a real joy to us.
Lynn - Isn’t Pinterest a wonderful thing?
When I looked at the Christmas photo tip, I saw the adoption link. As both of my girls were adopted (one domestic and one international from Kazakhstan), I clicked on it right away. Both of my girls are teenagers now. I can’t believe it’s been ten years since we went to KZ (Sarah was adopted at age 3).
Best of luck on your journey.
Mariska - Just found your blog through Pinterest, while searching for things to make with the Silhouette Cameo. Love your blog, and suddenly the button for Wonderful Works on the sidebar of your blog got my attention. I am the proud mom of 3 little girls, our youngest is 7 months now and has Down syndrome. So that’s why that button got my attention. Then I noticed the other buttons for Reece’s rainbow,etc, and then I came to this post. Wishing you all the best in your adoption process!!!