Adoption Journal

Monday, March 26, 2007
Other than IRS' form 8839, trying to find the actual law behind the Adoption Tax Credit is not all that easy. However, Google found Cornell's excellent law resource, and here's the code.
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Settling into Routine

Wednesday, January 11, 2006
We're trying to figure out our regular daily schedule with our newly enlarged family, and it's a challenge! The kids all love to eat, and eat a lot, and everybody's very active. The older kids are being tremendously helpful in juggling the kids and keeping everybody out of trouble.

We brought Victoria to the doctor on Monday to check out her breathing. One big difference with these children is that they came with a mound of paperwork of medical and background information. Much of it wasn't very detailed, but there is a lot of it. She's doing fine, on a regular nebulizer treatment due to her asthma.

We still have language barriers, but instead of Spanish, it's learning toddlerese! They're socializing very well with other kids at church, and are readily friendly to other adults.
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New Year, New Children

Sunday, January 01, 2006
We're so glad to be blessed to start this new year with three new children in our home! At midnight eastern time, 9:00pm pacific time, we got the kids in bed at the hotel to spend their first night with us. We'd spent the evening with their foster family, making the transition from them to us. The foster family has done a wonderful job with the kids, and we so much appreciate their years of work! After getting the kids in bed, we made use of some bags generously given to us by the kids' social worker, and re-packed the kids' toys for the trip home on Tuesday.

We had the kids for most of the day, and made a trip to a great aquatics center in nearby Dallas. The children all had a great time playing and splashing around. The center has a great toddler pool with toys, a slide (for bigger kids than these - Felix unfortunately was just a bit too short), a full pool, a really warm pool, a hot tub, and a yet another pool with a "tubing river" and waterfalls. Very nice. We stayed for a couple hours until our fingers were all like raisins :)

Moving back in time, on Friday we took the kids to the Evergreen Aviation Museum, home of the one and only Spruce Goose built by Howard Hughes after World War II. There were lots of other cool aircraft as well for the kids to "ooh" and "aah" over - which they did! Toddlers are easily impressed, which is a lot of fun! :) Felix is being a great "big brother" (as Stephen calls him), and held Stephen's hand as we walked around. The museum has a great section for kids, with lots of hands-on activities the kids enjoyed, like cockpits, landing a plane on an aircraft carrier (really!), and launched a hot air balloon. There were also lots of different computer-based simulators, but those would have been enjoyed more by Antonio or Carmen if they could have been here - we miss them!
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First Meeting

Friday, December 30, 2005
We met Stephen, Jacob, and Victoria for the first time yesterday evening! They are charming, active, delightful kids - wonderful additions to our family!

They warmed up to us very quickly, and we had fun playing and interacting with them. They went back home with their foster family, as part of our transition plan while we're here in Salem, Oregon.

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We're on Our Way!

Wednesday, December 21, 2005
We just got word that we're finally cleared to travel and pick up the kids! Woo-hoo!

We'll be flying out right after Christmas, and be back in a week. Lots of details and pictures to come . . .
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Progress Update

Thursday, November 17, 2005
We are still adopting Stephan, Jacob, and Victoria!

We expect to have them home within a few weeks, but prefer to see how the story unfolds before we publish the details of our ordeal.

Keep un in your prayers!
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Selected!

Thursday, August 18, 2005
Great news!

We've been approved to foster-to-adopt three children from Oregon:
Stephen is 3,
Jacob is 2, and
Victoria will be 1 in October.
We expect them to arrive in October, so we have lots of work to do to be ready! We'll definitely be going to see them between now and then, but aren't sure yet whether the timing of the visit would be earlier, or later when we would be able to bring them home.

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Sole Candidate

Friday, July 29, 2005
Good news! We're the sole family in the running for a sibling group of three children from out of state! We're excited that we've made it this far, but know much is yet to do. We'll be starting with them in foster care, so we're working on getting licensed to do so. Call or email if you'd like more details.
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Negotiating

Friday, May 06, 2005
Adoption Subsidy: Negotiating and Renegotiating Your Child's Contract
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Choices, choices, choices

Monday, January 31, 2005
It's been quiet in our adoption news, but not so in the actual events.

We've been busy moving on from the disappointment of Sennah and Mayeteh, and now have no less than three different (and very unique) opportunities we're considering. Please pray for us! We need God's wisdom.

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"Not Orphans"

Friday, September 24, 2004
"As I mentioned in our phone conversation, I sincerely regret to inform you that a field investigation by a U.S. Embassy investigator in Freetown, Sierra Leone, has concluded that Sina and Mayeteh Fullah are not orphans. The U.S. Embassy investigator visited Menese village to verify the deaths of Sina and Mayetah's parents. The investigator located Sina and Mayeteh's father, Karimu Fullah. He told the investigator that a friend whom he only knows as Samuel took the children promising him that they would be educated in "a white man's country" and that they would visit him after 5 years.

Given that the adoption decree from the High Court of Sierra Leone that was allegedly issued for Sina and Mayetah is fraudulent, and this newly acquired information confirming that Sina and Mayeteh are not orphans, I am obligated to return the approved I-600 petitions to the Department of Homeland Security's Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS/CIS). DHS/CIS will determine whether to reinstate or revoke the petitions after their review of our report.

I regret having to bring this very shocking news to your attention. I know how excited you were about welcoming Sina and Mayeteh into your home. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist."

United States Consul
American Embassy
Dakar, Senegal
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Improvements in Sierra Leone

Friday, September 17, 2004
We got a call tonight from our agency director, filling us in on what has been happening in Sierra Leone.

At the end of August, Sierra Leonean authorities broke up a child trafficking syndicate (according to the Inter Press Service), which sent repercussions through the entire adoption system in the country. Our agency's orphanage had its main director taken into custody, and all the children were removed from the orphanage. However, the authorities' investigation into our orphanage passed with flying colors. No children had been taken from their parents or requested to be placed for adoption. All children placed have indeed been orphaned by their birthmothers and willingly placed by their existing family members in hopes they will be adopted. The relatives are aware these children will enter the US if they are adopted.

This is what we were told in the beginning and what we held to be the truth. Sierra Leone has confirmed that. Who don't knows if this will now mean we can "move forward with all haste!", but we should be able to move somewhere! Finally! This is an enormous relief for us and our agency. I will now be able to rest better and prepare better for the time when Sennah and Mayeteh will be home. So, while I cannot speak to the other difficulties right now affecting other agencies, it has been confirmed this shouldn't affect the outcome of our adoption, but very possibly the wait.
2 Comments

More complications

Tuesday, August 31, 2004
We learned today that Sierra Leone is going to require a court appearance by the adoptive parents before they'll grant an adoption decree. This is really frustrating, because our decree, etc. was supposedly complete an entire year ago, and delays and delays and more unknown delays have brought us to this point and a new requirement.
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Orphan Immigrant Visa Process

Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Following is an outline on how we process orphan immigrant visa applications here in Dakar, for Sierra Leonean orphans:
The Embassy receives - or is notified of - the approval of an "advance processing" petition (form I-600A) by the BCIS (formerly the INS). Parents often file this kind of petition to begin the process, even before a child has been identified for adoption abroad. When we receive such an approved petition, or notification of approval directly from the BCIS, we send to the parents a packet of pre-interview forms and instructions.
The parents identify an orphan and obtain the appropriate Sierra Leonean court order granting them (or the adoption agency on behalf of the parents) permission to take the child out of Sierra Leone for adoption abroad.
Parents file the orphan petition (for I-600) with the BCIS office having jurisdiction over their home of residence. (the same office that approved the I-600A) That BCIS office, once it approves the I-600 on behalf of the named orphan, sends the actual approved petition to this Embassy. BCIS offices send the approved petition via the National Visa Center, which automatically forwards the approved petition to us.
Parents send to the Embassy the completed packet of forms, and also forward to the Embassy copies of all relevant Sierra Leonean documents (such as the adoption decree from the High Court, the birth certificate, the death certificate(s) of the parent(s), and any affidavits of unconditional relinquishment of any surviving parents).
The Embassy forwards the Sierra Leone documents to our Embassy in Freetown for verification with appropriate Sierra Leone civil authorities. We must complete this step because of the high -- and continuing -- fraud that has unfortunately accompanied the documentation in many of these cases.
Once we have received ALL three of the following:
(a) results of the verification procedures from Freetown telling us that the documents are authentic,
(b) the actual approved petition from BCIS, and
(c) the completed packet from the parents, including the I-864 affidavit of support and accompanying tax documents...
then we schedule the appointment for the interview in Dakar. We usually schedule these cases about one month later, permitting the family to make arrangements for travel to Dakar from Sierra Leone in advance of the interview so that the medical examination can be completed, and results ready, prior to the interview. The most important news for your situation is that your SL adoption documents came back "false," or not-authentic. Unfortunately, the person who knows the most about your case is out and I have no further information for you. In short, the adoption is not recognized by the proper SL court.

We did receive your packet of forms. Right now, it appears we are awaiting new adoption documents that we will again send for verification.
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INS Approval!

Monday, June 07, 2004
We just got our I-171, which means the girls can come home! Now we have travel arrangements & visas to take care of, but the end is near!
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New picture of the girls

Friday, April 30, 2004

Georgia Leonard, our adoption agency's director, is in Sierra Leone right now visiting the orphanage there, and sent us this photo:
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Traveling to Sierra Leone

Sunday, January 18, 2004
We are getting close to being able to go bring Sennah and Mayeteh home! Time to start getting serious about finding the least expensive way to get there and back, and where to stay for several days in Freetown and Dakar:
The US Embassy in Freetown has an informative site, especially their Airlines Schedule.
The Embassy in Dakar's website is much more typical, and much less helpful.
Ghana Airways looks promising, with flights 6 days a week, but they all connect back to Accra, Ghana, apparently. Kind of like all flights going to Atlanta, or something.
West Coast Airlines looks like a possibility, but can't find any website.
No website for Gambia International, either.
If we can get to Europe with some donated frequent flier miles, there are a couple other possibilities:
Sierra National Airlines flies from London on M & F, and from Amsterdam on Wednesday.
SN Brussels flies in from Brussels on M & Th.
The problem is that we have to fly to Dakar, as that is the closest US Embassy that can help us with the children. So, we either roundtrip out of Freetown, and get a separate flight to Dakar, or the opposite.
Air France
Air Senegal
Many more, but not very web-searchable. Perhaps it's time to contact a travel agent!
Other than getting there, what to bring, and how to not get sick?
CDC Health Information for Travelers to West Africa
Senegal and Sierra Leone require Yellow Fever vaccinations (and cholera?)
Sierra Leone requires a visa

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Free To Leave

Thursday, December 18, 2003

Today we received the girls' birth certificates, as well as the approval to take them from Sierra Leone. Now that leaves us with submitting their information to INS to allow them to enter the United States. We're not sure exactly what the paperwork meant when it says the girls have permission to leave with us. We know it doesn't mean we can go get them right this second! Everything needs to be cleared with the local INS and Embassy in Senegal. We still have some waiting to do at any rate! Sennah and Mayeteh turned 3 last Sunday (December 21). We were disappointed we could not be with them on that day, but every day is a day they are closer to being home!

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Process for Adoption for Sierra Leone

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

The Representative identifies the child.
The Representative notifies the Attorney that a specific family wants to adopt the child.
The Attorney writes a letter to the Ministry that the Family intends to adopt the specific child (Child's Name).
The Ministry sends a letter to the Attorney giving him permission to proceed.
The Attorney goes to the living family members and gets:
The child's Birth Certificate
Death Certificate
Relinquishment
The Attorney files the dossier and the documents on the child at the High Court asking for the Adoption Order
The High Court assigns a date.
On the assigned date the Representative, the child and the Attorney go to the High Court, meet with the judge and are given the Judgment (Adoption Order).
The Attorney takes the Adoption Order to the Registrar to register it in the Archives.
The final documents are submitted to the Representative.
The Representative forwards the documents to The Family Network, Inc.
The Family Network, Inc. sends the documents to the family.
The family submits the documents to the local INS office with the 1-600.
The local INS sends the Visa approval to the US Embassy in Dakar, Senegal.
The Family Network, Inc. checks with the US Embassy in Dakar, Senegal to see if the Visa has arrived and that all is in order (approved) for the family to travel.
After the Embassy approval is given The Family Network, Inc. notifies the family and the Representative
The family sets a date for their intended departure (travel date).
The Family Network, Inc. notifies the Representative in Sierra Leone of the families intended travel date.
The Representative gives approval for the travel date.
The Representative, child and family meet in Dakar, Senegal and process through the US Embassy.
The Representative and the family take the child to the US Embassy appointed physician to obtain their medical.
Family gets a Visa.
The family and child return to the US.
And, the from the US Consulate in Dakar, Senegal,
Processing Orphan Immigrant Visas
The Embassy receives - or is notified of - the approval of an "advance processing" petition (form I-600A) by INS. Parents often file this kind of petition to begin the process, even before a child has been identified for adoption abroad. When we receive such an approved petition, or notification of approval directly from the INS, we send to the parents a packet of pre-interview forms and instructions.
The parents identify an orphan and obtain a Sierra Leonean High Court order granting them (or the adoption agency on behalf of the parents) permission to take the child out of Sierra Leone for adoption abroad.
Parents file the orphan petition (for I-600) with the INS office having jurisdiction over their home of residence. (the same office that approved the I-600A) That INS office, once it approves the I-600 on behalf of the named orphan, sends the actual approved petition to this Embassy. Most INS offices send the approved petition via the National Visa Center, which automatically forwards the approved petition to us.
Parents send to the Embassy the completed packet of forms, and also forward to the Embassy copies of all relevant Sierra Leonean documents (such as the adoption decree from the High Court, the birth certificate, the death certificate(s) of the parent(s), and any affidavits of unconditional relinquishment of any surviving parents).
The Embassy forwards the Sierra Leone documents to our Embassy in Freetown for verification with appropriate Sierra Leone civil authorities. We must complete this step because of the high -- and continuing – fraud that has unfortunately accompanied the documentation in many of these cases.
Once we have received ALL three of the following:
results of the verification procedures from Freetown telling us that the documents are authentic
the actual approved petition from INS
the completed packet from the parents, including the I-864 affidavit of support and accompanying tax documents
then we schedule the appointment for the interview in Dakar. We usually schedule these cases about one month later, permitting the family/adoption agency to make arrangements for travel to Dakar from Sierra Leone in advance of the interview so that the medical examination can be completed, and results ready, prior to the interview.
These procedures, which have been worked out over the past 6-9 months, have worked well with several adoption agencies.
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Moving forward!

Sunday, July 06, 2003

We're making progress! Last week our dossier process was initiated, and we got some pictures to send over to the girls. By the way, we've already received our INS approval, so we're getting closer! :)
Our dossier's on the way to Senegal.
We also got a couple pictures of the orphanage the girls will/already are staying in:

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Sierra Leone Travel Resources

Wednesday, June 04, 2003

In trying to find out more about traveling to Sierra Leone, it's kind of a hard place to get to. It's remarkable how dependent we are on air travel, and how handicapping it is when there is little or no air service.
Apparently SN Brussels airlines flies into Freetown, just have to find out when
There's also the Sierra National Airlines, a charter service run by Kevin McPhillips?
The country is fairly safe to visit, according to the State Deparment and the UNAMSIL
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New Orphanage

Wednesday, April 02, 2003

Last night we talked with Georgia, about the situation with our girls.

She expects them to be home by 3-6 months, but is working on ways to motivate the orphanage director in Sierra Leone to move things along a little. He's a very laid-back, relaxed individual, and kind of drags things out.

It was neat to hear how far the money we sent them is going to go toward setting up the new orphanage for our girls and several other children:

Generator had to be purchased (no electricity grid)
Refrigerator
Roof over the kitchen
Beds
Hiring 3 careworkers for the 10 children
Renting the house that will be the orphanage
Other stuff

In addition to setting up the orphanage Sennah and Mayeteh will have visits to the doctor for routine blood tests and other such things. I am unsure how this will be handled in Sierra Leone, but in LaEsperanza a doctor would come by daily to see the children. Georgia will be figuring out how we can get some pictures of the girls, too. After all it isn't like Hassan (the orphanage director) can run into super walmart and have his film developed. A photographer has to be hired. So, even though he has a camera now, getting the pictures developed is another issue.

We think that we have also decided on middle names for Sennah and Mayeteh. We do not know if they have given middle names, so we might not stick with these. Right now we are thinking it will be Sennah Annalae and Mayeteh Kiara. We do not know how Sennah and Mayeteh are pronounced for sure. We have been saying Sehn- uh Ann-a- lay and My- eh- tae Kee- ar- uh.

The other phase of the adoption is the INS approval. It is somewhat unusual that we are moving forward without this, but we are using The Family Network again, and in Sierra Leone the case can start through the courts without INS approval. I believe the NC INS has made some great changes since the last time we went through this. We have had our fingerprints done down town.

We have also finished our homestudy and it is being written up. The agency we are using for this is Christian Adoption Services based in Matthews, NC. We have had an enjoyable time getting to know Carrie. She is in the process of writing up our homestudy now, and when that is finshed one copy will go to INS, another to our agency, and I think that we will be getting a copy as well. A homestudy is good for 18 months or unless something changes. If we move before Sennah and Mayeteh come home, we will have to have a change made to the homestudy and also notify INS. Since it will be within the state it will not really mess anything up, from what I understand!
157 Comments

Looking Forward

Tuesday, March 18, 2003

We're looking forward to getting our girls this summer:

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School is going great! You can see what we're using at

These pages tell you the story of our first adoption.

The Story - read all about why we're adopting, and how we're going about it.
Informative Links - the best of the adoption- related information we found on the Web
Calendar - a journal of our progress

Note that the adoption news below lists items with the word "adoption," so you might see a few articles on other kinds of things! :)

Adoption news

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