Adoption Update...

Yes, we are still in the Haitian adoption process. Yes, it has been almost 4 years at this point. Yes, it has been a very hard year with lots of bad news on the adoption front. Which is why I haven't talked much about it or given any recent updates. Since we're at the end of another year, however, I thought I'd give a brief look back at the last 10 months or so.

2/21/2023 – we began our 2^nd home study update 

4/03/2023 – turned in last of home study update documents

4/21/2023 – home visit (safety audit and interviews) with social worker

5/03/2023 – received home study approval from our agency

5/15/2023 – received home study copies from our agency

6/30/2023 – mailed immigration paperwork and fees to USCIS (approval expires July 26)

7/25/2023 – received cancelled check back from USCIS with no explanation (found out later that I overpaid them. Had to wait on a letter asking for new fees.)

7/27/2023 – received news that our agency will be closing as a home study, post-placement, and post-adoption agency. We must transfer to a new agency.

7/28/2023 – had a call with the new agency we chose. Must fill out an application, send in appropriate fees, redo some paperwork, redo BCI and FBI criminal checks, and have another social worker visit/interviews. ☹

7/29/2023 – filled out application for new agency

7/31/2023 – application was approved by new agency

8/07/2023 – found out that because of unrest and government staff shortages in Haiti, adoption timelines will be increased significantly. Also, we were told that the children who will be referred going forward are most likely going to be 8 years old or older. We are currently approved for ages 0-5 because of Quintin's age. 

8/08/2023 – sent in corrected biometrics fees to USCIS

8/30/23 – had a meeting with representative of new agency to go over the transfer process

9/07/23 – got FBI and BCI fingerprints done again for the family

9/14/23 – paid fees (yikes!) to transfer everything to new agency

9/16/23 – received USCIS approval WITHOUT having to go to Cincinnati for fingerprints (we have to update our home study every 15 months because USCIS says that our fingerprints expire and we have to get new ones. This time, they said they'd use our old ones (go figure...they're still in the system and don't really expire) even though we still had to pay the fees to get new ones. EVERYBODY wants our money.)

11/28/23 – received an email from our placement agency – referral fees and agency fees will go up significantly (story of our lives)

11/28/23 – had a safety audit and interviews with our social worker to transfer our case to new home study agency. We loved her, but she's retiring. Now we have to find a new social worker, and it doesn't sound like there's anyone close to take over. Which means paying more mileage for someone from a bigger city. 

This adoption process has been a complete roller coaster ride, and we have no idea what's next. Things look very bleak at this point, and we have argued with God more times than we'd like to admit...we keep coming up with excuses, like:

- we turn 47 this month

- we're going to be grandparents before our youngest child comes home

- we're feeling a little old and out of energy at this point

- Haiti shuts you off when you turn 50

- even after you get matched with a child, it can take a couple of years to bring your child home

- because Haiti is unsafe to travel to, we have to meet our child over a Zoom call, which feels really impersonal and awkward

- we are approved for special needs, which feels very overwhelming 

- do we REALLY want to go through more teenage years?!

- etc, etc, etc. 

But through all the hiccups, challenges, delays, and changes, God kindly keeps reminding me that this is His plan for us, and so we will continue. We will persevere. We will persist. We will keep pursuing. Somewhere out there is MY child. And even though it seems overwhelming and I feel unqualified, I love this little person that I have never met. We will trust God to make a way and give us peace and strength.

 Next up? A few little stories about how God has shown His faithfulness throughout this process. Stay tuned...