Welcome!

New to the site? Here is where it all started:

There are three major steps in the initial adoption process, which are interrelated.


1). File an application with the Bureau of Homeland Security (formerly INS) to bring a foreign adopted child into the U.S. 2). Complete the home study in which a qualified social service agency examines us as a family to determine our worthiness to adopt, and 3). Gather, prepare, notarize, certify, and authenticate a small mountain of documents.



On May 12, 2004, we completed the last of these three initial steps and sent our dossier to our agency, AWAA. On May 14, 2004 it was mailed to the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA). On May 21,2004, we were officially logged into the CCAA and our dossier began going through translation. Now the wait begins. The good news is that one year ago this wait process was approximately 14 months. Six months ago it was down to eight months. Now, it appears that the wait is around five to six months!! This is great news for all the waiting families and even better news for the babies waiting for their forever family.



This has been a very long process full of ups and downs. So much of the wait for the paperwork was totally in the hands of others. That was a hard lesson in patience.

For most of you, the information on this page is all you need; however, some of you have asked questions, indicating an interest in the details of the adoption process and some of the steps involved. For you, we have provided the attached pages with additional information.



Blessings,


Mark, Elizabeth, Nick ,Amy
& Linsey YaMei