Round Two Home Study

We have completed our new home study!  The first draft should be in our hands in a few days.  Once we approve the draft it will be off to the county and state to apostle. We are working on the items that needed update dates for the dossier. The dossier is a group of paperwork that includes our home study, which is sent to Ukraine. This is the package of paperwork which is reviewed by the Ukrainian Government and is what they base their determination on.  Once a favorable determination is received, then hopefully we’ll be receiving a request for a meeting in Ukraine.  If you receive a non-favorable determination then Ukraine will not let you adopt.  We are not worried about that part. We feel we will have everything submitted to Ukraine in the next two weeks.  Hopefully we will get our invitation for end of April.   Ukraine already has several of our documents so we hope it will be faster than the standard 20 day wait. 

The excitement is building here at the house.  We have rooms rearranged.  Jeff and I put up a huge family wall with some blank spots.  We hope to have our first family picture in the frame by the time we come home with the kids.  Since we are not sure how many kids and of what age, it is a challenge trying to be prepared.  We have been very fortunate and people have been donating lots of items to us.  That will prove to be helpful.  So thank you all for your support!

Pushing Forwards

When we started our adoption plans for Ukraine several people asked us where Ukraine was. Most people have never heard of this country or know anything about this country.  Now, everyone has heard of Ukraine and the turmoil that this country is going through.   Now people keep asking us are you still going to adopt from Ukraine?  The answer is most definitely yes.  As long as they don’t close travel to Ukraine, Jeff and I are going.  These kids need homes more now than ever.   Our current worry is that with the country in turmoil and on the brink of a conflict these kids will be placed on the back burner and their care and well being may be greatly affected.    That has happened to other orphanages in other countries especially when that country’s money is demanded elsewhere and not to the homeless children.  We can’t save all the kids but we can save 2 or 3 of them. That is what drives us forwards on adopting from Ukraine.

This Thursday the new agency is making their first home visit with us.  This will be for a home inspection and face to face introductions.  We have all items but one completed for the agency.  I need our doctor to sign another piece of paperwork saying we are healthy.  This will be his forth to date saying we are healthy since starting this journey.   We just had our entire test done less than a month ago but the rule in Ohio states no paperwork can be submitted to a new agency with a date older then your contract date.  I just hope our doctor will sign and not make us do the test all over again.  The blood work took about a week to complete.  If he agrees then we are on track to finish our home study in our  in record time (possibly as soon as two weeks). USCIS will then needs to update our old home study and I-600a.  Once that is completed we will once again submit to Ukraine. I believe we (hoping and praying) will be there in April, as long as nothing else changes!!!