We have accomplished another step in our second process to adopt from Viet Nam. Our I600 Petition has been submitted to our local USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.) Our petition will be help until our final home study report joins it, which should be soon. Our home study agency had forwarded our home study to our placement agency for approval and was in... more

Well we had our home visit with our social worker for our home study update this past weekend and it went really well. It was nice to see her again (B did our first home study and Ella’s post placement visit) and nice to get some affirmation about Ella’s growth and adjustment. Although she wasn’t there to check on Ella per se, she still let us know that she was happy with what she saw. This was especially true when Ella would play with her from a bit of a distance, but not hold her hand or get too close.

It was a very relaxed, pretty informal meeting. Before we really started... more

Here we go…one step closer! I spoke with our social worker this evening and scheduled our home visit for this Sunday! I am really excited that we were able to schedule it so quickly, and I’m really looking forward to it. Ok, I’m mostly looking forward to B (our social worker, who also did Ella’s home visit and post placement) getting to see Ella! It’s been a year since we’ve seen her and I’m proud of how we’re all doing.

This time around we’re in a different house with three other adults, so I was worried about scheduling our visit at a time that would work for everyone involved.... more

We are now officially one step closer to completing our homes study update, and another step closer to our daughter. Today my husband and I traveled to our home study agency’s office for our in office visit. It went extremely well and I’m excited that this step is done and we can move forward from here.

The meeting was relatively short and pleasant. I am extremely relieved to hear that all our paperwork is in order and looks good. We’re still waiting on one reference letter to be turned in and I need to send in one financial statement, but other than that, we’re done! The paperwork is the hard part of the home study, and the actual home visit requires no real preparation, so I really... more

Tomorrow my husband and I will drive almost two hours to have an in office visit that our home study agency requires. Initially, we were annoyed that we had to do this. This visit is in addition to our actual home visit, and this is the same home study agency that we used for Ella’s adoption, so it seemed ridiculous that we had to be jumping through all these hoops all over again. Then we learned that it’s a state requirement for us to have a certain number of hours with our home study agency for them to complete our home study update. So we really have no choice, and it’s not such... more

One year ago our plane touched down at JFK airport in New York and we were finally on our own turf again. After a quick and easy process at the airport, Ella became a United States Citizen and we were unbelievably about to return to our home as a trio. It was a bit of a shock to return home to the states after spending so much time in Viet Nam. In Hanoi we got tons of attention and Ella was constantly admired and cooed at. In New York, no one gave us a second look. We had quickly become used to the Vietnamese hospitality and the stark contrast was startling to our jet lagged, sleep deprived... more

This time last year we were in a complete whirlwind unlike any my family and I had ever experienced. While moping in our hotel room in Hanoi we received word that Ella’s visa had been issued and we were free to go home! Our scheduled flight to the US was for the next day, but we were so desperate to get home that we went a little crazy to make it happen.

Two of our agency staff members and my husband jumped on their respective phones in different rooms of the hotel and scrambled to try and get our plane tickets switched so we could get on the next flight... more

We’ve been sufficiently slacking on the home study front. I honestly thought the second time around would be easier, and in some regards it is, but when it comes to our home study update it is most definitely not. Even though we completed Ella’s adoption just a year ago, we are required by our home study agency to re-complete many of the same forms that we did not too long ago. I understand that we need to be fingerprinted again, our financial status may have changed, we need updated police reports and a few other things that don’t bother me in the least. Frankly, I’m annoyed by the fact that... more

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. In honor of my son Cole, I wanted to share a little about this day with my readers. As my life changes and my family grows, there will forever be someone missing, and I appreciate the fact that on this day, people around the world will take some time to remember my son and all the children who are missed every day.

In 2006, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day became official in the eyes of Congress when House Concurrent Resolution # 222 was passed. October has long been recognized as Pregnancy... more

Continued from here and here.

Although we made the official decision to adopt from Viet Nam again a few months ago, we’ve only recently begun diving into the paperwork required to adopt. We’re finding that it’s not much different (or easier) than the first time around. I honestly assumed that it would be less stressful, but as soon as our home study update packet arrived I realized that my assumptions couldn’t... more