Progress Report

     For some reason, the paperchase we have embarked upon for this adoption seems to be the most nit-pickingly detailed of any we have been through. Between the "Hague " rules that went into effect since we last adopted and new rules (China? More Hague?) that will go into effect later this year, the information that must be collected (mainly for the home study) has grown to a ridiculous level. Some examples :

     Have pets? We need to have their shot records from the vet.

     Have other kids? We need copies of their birth certificates. Oh, and since they were adopted from China, we need to know the dates when you received your home studies for each of those adoptions. (And the INS needs to know the dates that you received your I-600 approvals on those adoptions, too.)

    Are your kids in school? Well, then we need to get forms completed by their teachers (notarized, of course) telling how they are doing in school and if they attend regularly.

     Plus copies of bank statements and tax returns and on and on and on........

     Finally, we think we are getting near the end of this phase. (It's only been about 6 weeks since we started working on getting our dossier together and getting our home study done, but it feels like it's taking FOREVER!! )  We have all the documents we need for our dossier ready except for the home study and the official approval from the U.S. government to adopt internationally. Hopefully, the home study will be done in a week or two and then we will have everything we need to get the INS approval.

     It helps (a little) to "keep our eyes on the prize" and a few weeks ago we received some new pictures that help with that (and make us more impatient at the same time).

Once again the pictures we have of Jiang Zhen were taken inside the Jiamusi CWI.  (See the pics of the CWI in our previous post.)

Having the pics makes us want to go NOW to get her. But of course, it's never that easy. We will continue the bureaucratic marathon that we have to run because in the end it will be VERY worth the effort. But in the backs of our minds we can't help wondering why putting a young girl who wants a family together with a family who wants her to be with them has to be so hard.