Dossier on it's way!

So I've finally collected all the dossier documents and they went off in the mail today!! The only think I'm left waiting for is the review of my fast track birthparent letter ( a shortened version, they send out to more mom's) my birthparent letter has already been approved. So almost done and on the list!! Truly excited!!

Things are coming along

So things are coming along, even thou I haven't posted them. I've sent of my immigration paperwork step 1 and that was approved and am just waiting to get the paperwork for step 2. I also received the second and hopefully last package from Act of Love. I have completed most of the paperwork but now have to write my birthparent letter. I have been procrastinating on this a bit. I feel really awkward writing a letter to someone I've never meet, but who I really want to like my letter. I was hoping to be on the official waiting list by the beginning of January, but more realistically with the holidays is to have all the paperwork done and mailed by January 4th. It will then need to be reviewed and then I should be officially on the list as of (hopefully!!) the middle of January!

Wonderful fingerprinting ink

So today is kind of funny. I need to get an Interpol check done and this of course involves fingerprinting. Well, apparently I have very dainty lady fingers with shallow ridges and grooves (which the other officer teased was just a line to cute girls). So they had to do a full hand print. This is before I have to go do a presentation to the brownies group in town (6-11 year olds). So I get to talk to them while I have fingerprinting ink still stuck on my fingers. I'm sure they'll think I'm a total criminal. I think I'll go scrub some more.

Government Agencies

So on the adoption front things are slowly happening. I got a phone call from A Act of Love on Nov 11 saying they had received my registration forms and fee, but they couldn't do anything with them until they received an Article 15 letter. So, I call my agency (who wasn't at work on Rememberance Day, so tried the next day) who said they have my Article 15 letter (still puzzled on what it is...) but didn't think they needed it yet but would forward it on to them ASAP.

So then I decided life wasn't busy enought, crazy I know, and tried to figure out Canadian Immigration paperwork. I have finally figured ou that sponsorship is my only option as the adoption will be completed after I return with my baby from the US. So I merrily start on the paperwork only to be stumped. In filling out the form I came across a section that asked if the adoption will be completed abroad or in Canada. Well, at this point I don't know, it will depend on which state the baby is born in as to their specific laws. So I decide I better call Canadian Immigration and Citizenship, so my form actually gets processed and not sent back to me. Here is where the fun started. CIC's telephone tree is rediculous it took me several tried to find out what buttons to press to get to talk to a person and not just have pre-recorded info given to me. So when I finally get the option to press 0 to talk to a call center agent, I'm thrilled. Only to hear, "all our call centre agents are busy with other calls, please call back later" and a dialtone! I was expecting a 'wait on the line until someone can take your call'. So frustrated I call several times before I could speak to a woman. She told me to check both boxes and put a note explaining the situation on it. She told me it wont get kicked back to me for doing that but we'll see. So my morning was a bit frustrating. My next call was to Canada Revenue Agency to get a "Option C printout' so I can fill out the financial part of the sponsorship form. This call took me 3 minutes, what a difference. Apparently no one usually want to talk to Canadian Revenue Agency! So I guess tonight I'll skip the financial part and work on the rest of the paperwork. Yipee!

Sent in Registration!

I am quite happy! Things are moving forward again. I received my adoption loan yesterday and so quickly express posted my registration to Utah. Things are finally moving forward!! I should be contacted by A Act of Love sometime next week to do an intake interview and then I'll get the final paperwork. I'm working on this, the parts that I know what to do! I've taken an emergency childcare first aid course, which I would recommend to anyone. I learned how to deal with infant choking, CPR, etc. In particular for me, I'm really happy to know what to do about choking, as this really worries me.
On the other front I had great fun babysitting my niece on Saturday. I finished painting the nursery and will post pictures after I completely finish it.

Babysitting

So a bit slow on the posting huh! Nothing really has hasppened around here. And by that I mean adoption wise. This week I got my hair cut, painted the nursery (almost done), had my dishwasher repaired and picked up a car seat. The car seat is for me eventually but the reason I picked it up from a friend is that I'm babysitting my niece tonight. She is 5 weeks old and I'll be watching her for 61/2 hours, great practice! Today my parents helped me pick up a crib and glider rocker from Sears as I only have a Kia Rio and it totally wouldn't fit. They helped me assemble it (the instructions were horrible, it took all 3 of use and some head scratching to figure it out), so the nursery is starting to look like a nursery and I keep having to look in it. Not really believing it's even possible.

As steps keep being done in this long process, I'm starting to actually let myself believe it will happen. As before I totally could not let myself become too invested, I'm slowly allowing myself to believe. Starting to get excited!

What's Up

So where are things adoption wise now? Well, everything is looking really good. My homestudy is finished, I've reviewed it and signed off on it. It should be totally finished early next week. I applied for an adoption loan and was approved :) So nothing is holding me back now!!! Also my friend with 3 children has offered me some great used baby items, so I'm very pumped to be beginning my baby collection!!

Stress!

Well, now that my plans are settled now the hard part comes. All the planning and trying to finance everything. I am pursuing an international adoption loan through National Bank of Canada. Everything looks good and they have ot sent the application off, but don't think their should be any problems. But and it's a big but, they are insisting that I travel to their office to sign the loan papers in Vancouver. Vancouver is about an 11 hour drive from where I live or generally a $500 flight. Fortunately, there is a seat sale I can take advantage of, which cuts the price more than in half. So it looks like I will be traveling to Vancouver for a ~10 min appointment on Oct 20th. It will be a really boring day that I spend mostly in airports, but I doubt anyone can come even close to the great perks in this loan.
On a better front I am painting the nursery a bright yellow, so it's starting to come together and I'm trying to arrange plans for child care, maternity leave, etc. So I'm trying to take breaths and not be too stressed out about everything!

Decision Made

So on Tuesday I received the info from the adoption agency in Utah. It looked really promising; so Wednesday I called them with the many questions I'd been accumulating over the past few weeks. Again I was really happy with all the answers. So I have decided to adopt throught the US with an agency called A Act of Love. Why you might wonder? Well, they have an African American program as well, so I've not changed things so much and I can get an infant, something I'm really looking forward to. The timeline is really short. Once all the paper work is in Utah, the longest they have ever had someone to be matched in this program is 6 months! So I'm now looking at having a baby in my posession sometime in the spring or summer!!! It is panicing me a little as I'm now where near ready witht he nursery, etc. So I'm going to get busy!

I am an aunty!

So I know the posts have been slow but things have been a bit crazy and not much has happened on the adoption front. My sister, Shanna gave birth to a baby girl yesterday named Julia Ann. This is my first niece and my parent's first grandchild. So it's a bit exciting. I'm doing this post and them on my way to the hospital to see her. Just a little on my family. There are 4 of us. I'm the oldest, then Shanna, Tyrel and Marissa.
On the adoption front, my agency in BC have set upt o work with an agency in Utah. So I have sent them an email requesting their info package and am just waiting for it to come. Then I'll read it and ask some questions and decide if I want to work with them or not. I'm not committed to work with them yet. I'm hoping all goes well!

Still Twittling thumbs

That pretty much says it... Hoping for news soon!

What adoption teaches you

So what does adoption teach you?? Well, to start with, learning to live day by day with uncertainty, wondering if you are crazy, and things taking waaaay longer than you think they should. I am still waiting to hear if there is an adoption agency in the US that works with singles. Aparently my agency has found one but they are making a contract with them, so I am waiting details. Hopefully before this weekend. Then I can finally make a decision, the US or Ethiopia. Does anyone out there know of any blogs from Canadians adopting from the US? I've already found and am following many adopting from Ethiopia.
Thanks,
Rebecca

Decisions, decisions

Well, I haven't decided what I'm doing yet but have narrowed it down a bit. I am now between continuing my journey to Ethiopia or going with an adoption in the United States. I had mostly decided on the states today until I called the agency in the states to get a few questions answered and was told they were not accepting single applicants any longer. I kind of was dumbfounded, since here in BC you can't be turned down on the base of 'singleness'. So I re-talked to the social worker at The adoption Centre. She said she would check with a co-worker on if any other agencies in the US are working with Canada. So until that happens, I'm still into the air. The only reason the States looks interesting (still need a few questions asked) is I was told the wait would likely be less than Ethiopia, the cost the same and I would be getting an infant (pretty precious). I was also told that CAFAC was going to stop taking applicants as of Sept 1 and start a wait list since their program is at capacity. HO HUM . . . what to do?

Dreams Dashed

Humm, how to address this post. I received a call from The Adoption Centre on Wednesday. I was told by the social worker that as a single woman Ethiopia would not allow me to adopt more than one child at a time. :( I'll admit to being quite mad about this. I think if this is the case it should have been spelled out on clearly in the documents pertaining to adoption from Ethiopia. But it is a bit of a moot point anyways as I was also told that the ages that I was requesting were unrealistic and that they get very few sibling groups as close in age as I have requested and have only had one set of twins in the last year that would fall in that age range, most siblings they say fall into 0-5 years range. So I have until Monday to decide what my new options are and am re-evaluating. I'll post after I've decided what I'm going to do now.

Waffling

I suppose now is a good time to post why I chose Ethiopia. Because I am a single woman, I am a little restricted as to the countries that would accept me. I did the research and decided Ethiopia was for me. I have planned on adopting since I was very little and have discussed this with my immediate family since I was ~6 years old (according to my mom) and a lot since then. Way back when I was little I was always drawn to Africa. I always imagined adopting little black girls from there. Ethiopia is also a relatively stable program and the children relatively healthy. Since I want to adopt siblings as a single woman this means that the children I can accept have to be relatively healthy, as I probably do not have the resources to handle significant mental or physical problems. So why the title waffling? Well the increasing timelines have me questioning this. With wait times approaching 3 years, after the paper work reaches Ethiopia, I'm starting to wonder. But I still am not ready to give up on my dream.

Home again at last!

Wow, I hope things settle back to normal now. I have been in Edmonton shopping with my sister and mom for the last bit. And had a friend visit me prior to our leaving, so things have been a bit hectic. Since i live quite rurally, once a year my mom and I travel to Edmonton to go shopping due to better variety and no PST. This year we included my sister since she is now 20 and has the money to go shopping with us. I had a great time. The only challenge was getting all of us back and our purchases, since we had taken my Kia Rio since it's easy to park and fuel efficient. I bought a 6 foot long rug to put down on my hardwood floors in the living room and we bought a baby swing, since my other sister is expecting her first child Sept 16. So it was swishy to say the least. But now that I'm back I'll try ot post a bit more regularly as I fall back into my old routine.

Fifth Social Worker Visit!

So yesterday the social worker did make it to my house and loved it. She thinks it will be perfect for raising children. We also wrapped up all the questions, so I'm basically finished the home study. From here she has to finish typing up the draft and then sent the draft off to the director at The Adoption Centre in Kelowna and to me to see if we need to further clarify anything. I am requesting sibling girls under the age of 18 months. Which I know is going to be quite restrictive and may lengthen my wait time. I have received the checklist for the dossier and will be starting to compile the needed documents shortly. So that when I receive official approval to adopt, I have everything ready to go when I sign up with CAFAC. It feels great to be a bit further into the process :)

Fourth Social Worker Visit

On Aug 6th I saw the social worker for the fourth time. We mostly covered family relationships and parenting styles. I also had another appointment scheduled for today, but the social worker decided that we don't need it she just needs to do the home visit and a few last questions. So we switched today's visit from her office to my house! So I have been busy cleaning and tidying like mad. Today I was going to mow the back lawn before she gets her but I have come down with a horrible summer cold, so I think I'll settle for just pooper scooping instead so if we do go out and look at the backyard I don't have to ask her to watch her step! I have been wondering how the process has been going and whether I will get approved to adopt. She reassured me that if an issue came up that would hinder the adoption process we would deal with it right then, she wouldn't wait to the end to talk about it. I also think things are going well since I only have 1 visit left and she ended our last visit on Thursday with "I can't wait to meet your children" But I will be very relieved when totally approved.

What a great trip!

Well, I'm back and mostly back on home time. I arrived back home at 10:30pm on Monday, having been up for ~28 hours :) so yesterday was a bit shot, but today I feel much better. The trip was amazing, Paris is beautiful and has a great metro system to get around with it, but the driving is crazy! I certainly wouldn't drive as things like traffic circles do not have road lines even when their is 4 lanes of traffic. They seem to know what they are doing, but I certainly wouldn't. Here are a few pictures. Notre Dame, the Louve, me at the Effiel Tower, and the Arc de Triumph. The food was great and I certainly see why they are so slim, I could eat the entire serving of food at every meal. Here I eat about half a serving of food at restaurants. Well I have to go as I have to see my grandparents to give them their souveiners.

Wonderful grandparent's

Well, I wasn't planning on doing a post until I got back but couldn't resist. On Wednesday I had a message from my grandma on the phone asking me to give her a call. I missed the call since I was in the garden. I didn't check the answering machine until late so I had to call her the next day. She said she would like me to come over on Friday about 7pm. I told her I was really busy getting ready, but she said it'd only be an hour or so. So I agreed, but was a little suspicious since she usually tells me why she wants me to come over. Well she thru me a surprise bon voyage party, with a few friends and cake she specially ordered from the bakery. It was sooo nice and a total surprise. Not every grandma would do that, she's pretty special :)

Summer vacation

So it has been quite hot recently. By northern BC standards anyways, which means upper twenties. We are supposed to hit thirties starting Saturday. But I'm going to miss a lot of it. I am flying to Paris early Monday morning. I fly from Prince George to Vancouver, Vancouver to Seattle and Seattle directly to Paris. I'll be gone for 8 days getting back late Aug 3. This is my first trip out of North America, so I'm excited. I am going by myself but it's a guided tour so I wont wander Paris lost for days :) I figure this is my last chance to go on a big trip before becoming a mom and not going anywhere for a while. So I jumped at the chance, even though it stretched my budget by quite a bit. I will try to learn how to post pictures when I get back to share with all zero people followin my blog so far :)

What I'm up to now

On my last visit with the social worker we discussed education, religion and my family. Apparently my social worker has an issue with my level of intelligence and love of learning. She has requested that I read a book on learning disabilities. She worries that because apparently I am "so smart" that I will have trouble parenting a child that is not as intelligent as me. I totally disagree as many in my family were not acedemically inclined and I have tutored in the past. In particular the social worker thinks I will have trouble if the children 'lack motivation' when it comes to school work. Personally I think 80% of parents would have a bit of trouble if their children lack motivation. But since this is the social worker that gets to decide if I get to be a parent I have checked out a book called "Your struggling child" and will see what I can learn.

The beginning

Hi, my name is Rebecca and I am a single woman starting the adoption process of siblings from Ethiopia. I am currently about 5 weeks into my homestudy process. I am currently residing in Vanderhoof, BC. More to come ...