Monday, March 23, 2009
WE GOT OUR LOA
WOO HOO!!!!!!! As you know by now, the LOA is the official letter from the CCAA (Chinese Adoption Authority) that "awards" Wyatt to us and precludes a flurry of frantic activity on our part to get this last bit of paperwork done, submitted, get VISAs, decide travel arrangements. Our next document we'll be waiting for from China is the TA which is short for "Travel Authorization" - official permission to travel to China and pick Wyatt up. Then we'll actually book flights and make reservations and pack. I'll write more as soon as I know stuff.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Contact from our agency
I received a phone call from our agency about the I-800 process. Apparently everyone is totally stressed out by this form and have many questions so I'm not alone there. Also, the paperwork requirements for this part of the adoption process are changing literally week to week so we have to wait til we get our LOA (which is not called a LOA anymore, but a LSC) to fill out the form and attach the accompanying documentation (as usual, proof of certain things is required). She said she would walk me through the process when the time came and that's a huge relief!!! Another thing that is changing weekly are the costs involved. She also said to be very wary of people trying to scam you out of money in China because the economy is suffering over there as well. This adoption could get to be a very interesting "ride"! I feel we're moving into the rodeo event arena now! :o)
We decided not to ask the other family for photos at the orphanage for several reasons. The main reason is that that family is not planning to go to the orphanage so will not see Wyatt anyway. We also don't know how the timing will end up when all things come together. There's a new regulation by the USCIS (US Immigration) that adoptive parents are absolutely prohibited from making contact of any kind with their child, their child's caretakers and/or orphanage. Apparently this can terminate your adoption process if they don't agree with any attempt at contact on your part. All these new things are to protect prospective adoptees from child traffickers and such undesirables, but they sure add many, many more daunting hurdles to adoptive parents in the process. I personally believe that there will enter a new profession in the adoption world on this end, of a person who is solely responsible for filling out all the paperwork for parents (for a fee of course).
Overall, I am encouraged by the call because things are still moving along. I've been listening to Joyce Meyers on TV lately and have realized my attitude has been rather negative toward this time period in the adoption process. Instead of expecting to see God work things out in "fun to watch" ways, I've been dreading filling out the paperwork, fearing that something might fall through the cracks, worrying about stuff, etc. I haven't been enjoying the moment. This might sound crazy, but isn't this life? All the vast waiting periods between the mountain peaks. I'm now resolved to change my self talk, study the Bible concerning faith, etc., and quit dwelling on the negative aspects of things when the "feel" overwhelming. This is a tall order for me - I'm a Midwestern, Norwegian, stoically raised Lutheran with generations of like-minded individuals behind me. I'm sure those who've known me a long time will agree this is a good thing for me to do :o) So please continue to pray for Wyatt and the process. He seems so close right now. There are moments I can envision his face and imagine feeling his hugs and "see" him sitting next to girls at the dinner table. These moments just hit me out of the blue and only last a few seconds. I smile and take a breath and go on with my day.
We decided not to ask the other family for photos at the orphanage for several reasons. The main reason is that that family is not planning to go to the orphanage so will not see Wyatt anyway. We also don't know how the timing will end up when all things come together. There's a new regulation by the USCIS (US Immigration) that adoptive parents are absolutely prohibited from making contact of any kind with their child, their child's caretakers and/or orphanage. Apparently this can terminate your adoption process if they don't agree with any attempt at contact on your part. All these new things are to protect prospective adoptees from child traffickers and such undesirables, but they sure add many, many more daunting hurdles to adoptive parents in the process. I personally believe that there will enter a new profession in the adoption world on this end, of a person who is solely responsible for filling out all the paperwork for parents (for a fee of course).
Overall, I am encouraged by the call because things are still moving along. I've been listening to Joyce Meyers on TV lately and have realized my attitude has been rather negative toward this time period in the adoption process. Instead of expecting to see God work things out in "fun to watch" ways, I've been dreading filling out the paperwork, fearing that something might fall through the cracks, worrying about stuff, etc. I haven't been enjoying the moment. This might sound crazy, but isn't this life? All the vast waiting periods between the mountain peaks. I'm now resolved to change my self talk, study the Bible concerning faith, etc., and quit dwelling on the negative aspects of things when the "feel" overwhelming. This is a tall order for me - I'm a Midwestern, Norwegian, stoically raised Lutheran with generations of like-minded individuals behind me. I'm sure those who've known me a long time will agree this is a good thing for me to do :o) So please continue to pray for Wyatt and the process. He seems so close right now. There are moments I can envision his face and imagine feeling his hugs and "see" him sitting next to girls at the dinner table. These moments just hit me out of the blue and only last a few seconds. I smile and take a breath and go on with my day.
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