We received our state background checks in the mail today :). First thing tomorrow morning I'll be heading to Carson City to have these documents Apostilled. Due to cost, we'll have to wait until Monday to pick up the documents and then get them shipped off. We're hoping this update will be the last one we'll have to do and the dossier can get submitted.
Just a quick update, no novella today. Virginia is always telling me that I ramble on so, and here I'm doing it again.
I do want to thank the Nevada Department of Safety for getting me these documents in a VERY timely manner. Thanks!!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
More Dossier Updates
Originally, when we started this blog, we imagined that there would be more updates than what we have. We also planned on just keeping this blog specifically orientated to our adoption process. Well, from the lack of updates, you can see that the process is going much slower than we had hoped and expected. So far, we are keeping this blog adoption process related.
It's hard to believe that it's already time to update some of our documents. We got an email last week listing three items that needed to be updated, the state security check, physicals w/tests and the home study social workers license (it expired on Dec 31st, 2007). It's Tuesday and we have completed the physicals w/tests, the SW license and are awaiting the security checks in the mail. When I submitted the forms and fingerprints, they said that it would be several weeks because they were backed up. I asked if there was a way to speed things up and explained why we were in a hurry. I was advised to make a note on the forms because the person who does the checks is sympathetic to adoptions and I might just get it expedited. We wait by the mail box each day with baited breath. OK, we're usually at work when the mail comes but it's the first thing checked before we step into the house.
When our Dossier was sent to Ukraine, we had hoped that this stage of hurry up and wait was over. Now, here we are again. We've read many blogs and stories of this part of the journey taking 1 to 2 years and couldn't understand how this could be. Now we know and hope to get through this once and for all. We're approaching the year mark when we started this process in earnest (it's been such a long year). When we started this process, we never would've expected this to happen unless the Ukrainian gov't closed it down again. We did get caught up in the quota shutout and that's what has slowed this process down. We're hoping that 2008 will be the year!
Lastly, there is significant cost with these redo's. And, since we are needing to hurry the process to try and get it done in early February, we once again need to expedite these documents through the apostille process. The basic cost of redoing these documents is at least $500, assuming our insurance is going to cover the physicals and lab tests. OUCH!!
A little late for us, but the lesson I can pass on to others is this:
-The HS and USCIS takes the most time to complete.
-The state security checks take about 3 weeks and is about the second longest process.
-If hindsight was foresite, I would have waited to do the simple, quick tasks till the end so I wouldn't have to worry about those items expiring too soon.
-If you do have to redo documents, it much easier because you already know the paths :).
We hope this little bit of info can help others keep their expenses down in the end.
It's hard to believe that it's already time to update some of our documents. We got an email last week listing three items that needed to be updated, the state security check, physicals w/tests and the home study social workers license (it expired on Dec 31st, 2007). It's Tuesday and we have completed the physicals w/tests, the SW license and are awaiting the security checks in the mail. When I submitted the forms and fingerprints, they said that it would be several weeks because they were backed up. I asked if there was a way to speed things up and explained why we were in a hurry. I was advised to make a note on the forms because the person who does the checks is sympathetic to adoptions and I might just get it expedited. We wait by the mail box each day with baited breath. OK, we're usually at work when the mail comes but it's the first thing checked before we step into the house.
When our Dossier was sent to Ukraine, we had hoped that this stage of hurry up and wait was over. Now, here we are again. We've read many blogs and stories of this part of the journey taking 1 to 2 years and couldn't understand how this could be. Now we know and hope to get through this once and for all. We're approaching the year mark when we started this process in earnest (it's been such a long year). When we started this process, we never would've expected this to happen unless the Ukrainian gov't closed it down again. We did get caught up in the quota shutout and that's what has slowed this process down. We're hoping that 2008 will be the year!
Lastly, there is significant cost with these redo's. And, since we are needing to hurry the process to try and get it done in early February, we once again need to expedite these documents through the apostille process. The basic cost of redoing these documents is at least $500, assuming our insurance is going to cover the physicals and lab tests. OUCH!!
A little late for us, but the lesson I can pass on to others is this:
-The HS and USCIS takes the most time to complete.
-The state security checks take about 3 weeks and is about the second longest process.
-If hindsight was foresite, I would have waited to do the simple, quick tasks till the end so I wouldn't have to worry about those items expiring too soon.
-If you do have to redo documents, it much easier because you already know the paths :).
We hope this little bit of info can help others keep their expenses down in the end.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Happy New Year
Happy New Year and a belated Merry Christmas.
My intentions for this blog is to keep is pretty close to our adoption journey. Well, as you can see, there hasn't been anything happening for the last month. This was such a disappointment for Virginia and I. We were hoping that we would have been accepted in the 2007 submittals but just wasn't in the cards for us. We know our kids are there when we get there, but it's still hard to now push this out several more months.
Our New Years was quiet like usual. It's not a big deal for us. We spent it at home with our nephew and one of my wife's brothers. We watched all three "Resident Evil" movies and had a wonderful dinner.
Our Christmas started on a rough note but ended up being quite a wonderful experience. We decided to visit with one of Virginia's brother and family in Bend, Oregon. The roads were very icy and just enough so to put us in a ditch after doing a few 360's. I wanted to cry, but we were both unharmed and the damage could have been much worse. I baby my '06 Mustang and didn't even have a door ding after having her for over 2 years. Oh well, I guess that's what insurance is for.
Our visit went wonderfully. Bill and Laura have 5 kids living at home from ages 8 to 14. I had forgotten what it was like celebrating Christmas with so many young ones (I'm the youngest of 6). It was great just playing games and spending time together. They are a great bunch and we are glad to be a part of their family. It's these kids that made me realize that not having any children is what was lacking in my life as well as Virginia's.
As for our adoption, it's time to look at the expiration date of some of the documents and get them redone. We're concerned about all the appearant changes in Ukraine and hope these will settle down for the betterment of the children. I hope all goes well with those in the process and it goes easier for those about to embark on their own Ukraine adoption journey.
Happy Holidays to All.
My intentions for this blog is to keep is pretty close to our adoption journey. Well, as you can see, there hasn't been anything happening for the last month. This was such a disappointment for Virginia and I. We were hoping that we would have been accepted in the 2007 submittals but just wasn't in the cards for us. We know our kids are there when we get there, but it's still hard to now push this out several more months.
Our New Years was quiet like usual. It's not a big deal for us. We spent it at home with our nephew and one of my wife's brothers. We watched all three "Resident Evil" movies and had a wonderful dinner.
Our Christmas started on a rough note but ended up being quite a wonderful experience. We decided to visit with one of Virginia's brother and family in Bend, Oregon. The roads were very icy and just enough so to put us in a ditch after doing a few 360's. I wanted to cry, but we were both unharmed and the damage could have been much worse. I baby my '06 Mustang and didn't even have a door ding after having her for over 2 years. Oh well, I guess that's what insurance is for.
Our visit went wonderfully. Bill and Laura have 5 kids living at home from ages 8 to 14. I had forgotten what it was like celebrating Christmas with so many young ones (I'm the youngest of 6). It was great just playing games and spending time together. They are a great bunch and we are glad to be a part of their family. It's these kids that made me realize that not having any children is what was lacking in my life as well as Virginia's.
As for our adoption, it's time to look at the expiration date of some of the documents and get them redone. We're concerned about all the appearant changes in Ukraine and hope these will settle down for the betterment of the children. I hope all goes well with those in the process and it goes easier for those about to embark on their own Ukraine adoption journey.
Happy Holidays to All.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)