Our timeline so far

10-11-05 Mailed application to our agency GWCA
10-12-05 Applied for passports
10-12-05 Contacted a social worker about home study
10-14-05 GWCA application approved
10-15-05 Mailed I600A form to USCIS (this is for the U.S. to allow us to bring an alien orphan into this country
10-15-05 Mailed agency contract back to GWCA
10-17-05 Received Angela's passport
10-22-05 Received finger print appointment from USCIS
10-25-05 First meeting with our social worker
10-27-05 Received Matt's passport
10-28-05 Finger prints at local Sheriff's Department
11-01-05 Angela's unemployment letter Notorized
11-02-05 Received Matt's Notorized employment verification letter
11-03-05 Matt's individual interview with social worker
11-04-05 Finger printing at USCIS office in Birmingham
11-10-05 Matt's Doctor appointment
11-12-05 Application letter to CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) and Financial status letter Notorized
11-15-05 Angela's Doctor appointment
11-18-05 Angela's individual interview with social worker at 3:00 pm and our joint interview at 4:00
11-29-05 Received Angela's Notorized Police clearance letter
12-01-05 Received Matt and Angela's Notorized Doctor's letters
12-02-05 Received State certification from Wisconsin for Matt's birth certificate
12-07-05 Received Matt's Notorized Police clearance letter
12-07-05 Took all Alabama documents to be county certified at the local courthouse
12-10-05 Sent out all Alabama documents to the Secretary of state to be State certified and Sent Matt's employment letter to the Sec. of State in Pennsylvania for State Cert.
12-15-05 Received all Alabama documents back from the State with the State Seal
12-23-05 Just waiting to receive Matt's employment letter back from Penn. with State certification so ALL documents can go to the Chinese consulate to be authenticated

I know that seems like a lot to do, but to be honest it really has not been as bad as I was expecting it to be!

If I don't post again with in the next few days, I hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

What's up with the ladybugs?

I'm sure some of you are wondering about the reference to ladybugs. Well, in China ladybugs are considered good luck. So, many people in the China adoption community have incorporated this into their adoption experiences as well. People say if you see a ladybug, that good things are on its way. So now, it seems every where I go, I see ladybugs! I take this as a sign that we are headed in the right direction, and that we are fullfilling what is meant to be.

Our little family of four!

Who are we?

Hello every one, and thank you for visiting our blog! We are Matt and Angela, and we live in the good old south. We have created this blog to let our family and friends follow in our progress, as we go through the process of adopting a baby girl from China. We also hope to meet up with others in this exciting journey of the heart, and maybe even encourage some one who is just browsing, to the possibility of opening up your hearts, by bringing a child in need into a home full of love.
This journey actually started for us back in 94-95, when Angela read an article in a magazine about a single woman who adopted a baby girl from China. At the time we had no idea of the situation for so many infant girls in that country. Every year thousands are abandoned due to the one child policy. Many families prefer boys, mainly because of the lack of any kind of social security for the elderly. It is the sons responsibility to care for his aging parents. So the daughters are to care for their husband's parents, and not their own. Needless to say, if one has no son, then they will be left uncared for in their senior years. It is a sad situation, but so real for so many.
So after many years, here we are. We already have two beautiful and precious girls of our own, but we did not feel like our family was complete. We actually started the process in October, and they say it usually takes about 14 months till we travel. Although lately there have been longer referral waits, so who knows when we will actually get our "little ladybug."
For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, the process is set in three different stages and goes something like this:
1. Paper chasing- getting all of your documents together for your Dossier. (most countries require this for international adoptions)
2. Waiting phase- after your Dossier goes to China, you wait for them to match you with a baby.
3. REFERRAL- This is the part every one waits so long to receive. It is a packet of information on the baby they have matched you with, including pictures and medical information.
Thank you all for your interest in our new and sometimes scarry time in our lives. I hope I can keep you all up to date with the process.