March 2006 - We started seriously talking about adoption and began looking online at a variety of sources and resources. A list of agencies was put together and we started requesting information.
April 2006 - Went through alot of information on agencies, talked to many many people and eventually decided to investigate Mandala Adoption Services more. We attended an information meeting they were holding in Chapel Hill and felt really good. By the end of the month we had finalized our decision to go with Mandala and signed on with them.
May 2006 - Officially with Mandala, we started the process of getting information together for our homestudy. We were actually lucky as we had most of the required paperwork handy due to a recent move and going through piles and piles of paperwork to sort it all out and file.
June 2006 - Homestudy is scheduled for late June and we complete first part of our homestudy. Application for I600A is sent to CIS in Charlotte NC. Local criminal background check is completed as part of homestudy.
July 2006. Homestudy is completed and we start the process of getting dossier materials together. Our INS fingerprinting is scheduled for Sept 6.
August 2006 - We have all of our dossier materials completed and sent to consulate for authentication by the end of the month. This includes everything from passport info, to physicals, to financial and employment statements. Only thing not done at this time is the I171 which we cannot get until fingerprinting is done.
September 2006 - Our fingerprint appointment comes off without a hitch. The folks at the Charleston, SC office are very nice and really helpful. Our authenticated paperwork is received back at Mandala offices by the end of the month.
October 2006 - We get our I171H in the mail and immediately get a copy of it notarized and then sent to the Vietnamese Consulate for Authentication. Mandala gets this back by the end of October.
November 2006 - Our dossier is taken to Vietnam and at MOJ by the middle of the month. Now there is nothing else we can do by wait and then probably wait some more. all of the folks at Mandala have been great up to this point.
December 2006 - We are still waiting! It has only been a month but it feels like forever. We have been doing things around the house to get ready for our little girl for when she finally comes home. Christmas is being spent in Knoxville with Deanna's family and all are excited and waiting. Latest update from Mandala is they have 2 referrals done, 3 pending and more on the way from the way the email sounds. Our fingers our crossed that we will get one of these referrals soon. We can only hope.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Friday, December 22, 2006
Why Adopt From Vietnam
We get asked this question from time to time as well as why adopt at all? Our first answer is because we wanted to. When we started the adoption process, we looked at several different agencies and a variety of programs. For several reasons we decided on Vietnam. We like the time frame, the humanitarian work our agency is doing or planning on doing, the cost and a great respect for the culture and people. Our agency, Mandala Adoption Services, out of Chapel Hill, NC, are great and seem to have a wonderful presence in the country. They are a smaller agency but provided the more personal one on one touch which made us more comfortable with the process.
We have a dossier in Vietnam and are waiting a referral for a little girl. How long will it take? When will it happen? When do we get to go get her? Well that is hard to say at the moment but we will be sure to post all about our adoption journey here.
We have a dossier in Vietnam and are waiting a referral for a little girl. How long will it take? When will it happen? When do we get to go get her? Well that is hard to say at the moment but we will be sure to post all about our adoption journey here.
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