Dossier to USAA

A dossier is our file with all the completed paperwork needed by the Chinese government. It includes copy of our homestudy report, and all the other information we have been gathering for several months now. This file is being sent to our agency USAA for authentication on the state level as well as authentication by the Chinese Consulate and then translation of all documents into Chinese.

We mailed out our Dossier Fed-Ex overnight, and I was a nervous wreck checking and double checking that everything on my checklist was in the folder. I was so nervous that while I was at the counter filling out the shipping slip, I sealed everything in the envelope and realized I omitted the check which was right under the Fed-Ex mailer. I had to open the mailer and ask the girl for another envelope.

I really could not believe how nervous I was. I hope my double and triple checking was worth it.

Fingerprinting Day

Today Mike and I went to the INS building in Davie and had our fingerprints done for the FBI check that is all a part of the approval. Very high tech, no ink pad, all electronical.

Thank you to everyone who has been very supported and called us after every step of the way. We appreciate it and can't wait for you to meet Mia!

Wrapping up the paperchase. . .

We are just completing everything and getting a few documents notarized. Thanks to Soris who works with Mike, she lived with her ink pad and stamp in her hand for almost 2 months straight, notarizing everything we had. I just completed my child and infant CPR and need to get our papers back from Mike physician and we are done.

Mia's grandfather Wayne is so excited for his granddaughter, he can hardly stand it. He is already planning a car seat in his truck. Can't wait to see that!

Mia's other grandparents are planning to join Mike and I in China. My father is going for sure, but my mom is a little nervous about the flight. I'll think she'll go, I told her to take some pills and sleep the 15 hour flight away. My dad says he won't go without her. Everyone she meets tells her its a trip of a lifetime.

Construction Mortgage

We closed on the new house today. Although we do not have the house yet, the construction portion is just beginning. (Like our life isn't busy already). If I make another copy of a bank statement or a w2 I think I'll scream. Between the adoption and the mortgage I have papers flying everywhere.

We hope our home is done before Mia arrives. We want to get her room ready and get our boxes unpacked before our trip to China. Lots of action happening at the Harrell house. As I told Mike, It's all good things!

Mike is still hanging on at the police department and is looking forward to retiring. We both have a light at the end of our tunnel. Tomorrow we go to the builder to pick out our colors and choices for flooring, cabinets, etc.

Psychological Evaluation

Today was the psych test and we were definitely very nervous. The test consists of 563 questions, which were very odd, however; they say they can tell a lot about you from your answers. Mike was most concerned about the test because he said "After 22 years as a police officer, you do not think like a normal person". Our social worker, Nohra told us not to worry and just answer the questions honestly. So we did and 3 hours later we were done. The test is multiple choice and after testing he sat with us to talk about our lives and our relationship.

After the test which was in a beautiful part of Fort Lauderdale on the intracostal, we had a nice lunch at a restaurant down the street. Of course, all we did is compare answers to the questions that really stood out. It was very interesting to see the difference in our answers and our rational for answering that way.

Mike is very relieved that we have that behind us and Dr. Demartini said he did not foresee a problem and he would grade the test within a couple of days and call with the results.

We'll see.........

"Our Home" visit

Nohra came today to visit us in our home. She spent about 4 hours visiting with us. She spent some time with Mike alone, myself alone, and then she talked with us together. She said we have a lovely home and she has no reservations in recommending us as parents. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, it was very casual and relaxing.

I was hoping it wasn't going to be all day. I bought Marlins Spring Training tickets for this afternoon and we were able to go and have a great afternoon. The weather was great! We needed it.

Slowly but surely, we are making our way down the papertrail checkoff list. Thank GOD!

Meeting with social worker

Today we met with Nohra. She will be creating our homestudy. Our homestudy will be a short story of our lives, from childhood to now, our family life growing up, our view on disciplining our children, our education, our relationship with our family and friends, our hobbies. It's basically a biography of our lives to date. We are required to have 5 letters of reference. 2 from family and 3 from friends, we have asked Tommy and Stacia, Joey and Rich, Chief Magill, Mike's dad Wayne and Deanna and Vince. Their letters were so thoughtful and most made me cry. We are so grateful!

This has been very excited and emotional. Mike and I cannot wait to have a child. We have so many things that we want to share with her. We cannot wait until we can say we are a family.

Homestudy

Today I dropped off our application for the homestudy part of our adoption. The homestudy is required by China and US Citizenship and Immigration. The homestudy has very many parts to it, one being document collection, a home visit, drug and alcohol screening, psychological evaluations, more background checks, FBI fingerprinting and a parenting class. WHEW!!!! More checks than Mike needed to be hired at the police department it seems.

We have our first meeting in a couple of weeks with our social worker, Nohra. Wish us luck 0:)

Scrapbooking

I have started Mia's scrapbook and it is coming out so nice. I started one for my niece Kenedy when she was born. I have made her pages for the major events in her life. I told Deanna that I will continue until she's is 18.

Deanna is pregnant and due in August, so she asked if I would do the same for the new baby. I told her that the next one is hers, I now have one of my own to do!! I will attach a picture of the book. It is titled, "Once upon a time". Sounds like a good theme for the nursery huh????

Passports

Today we received our passports and our official paperchase has begun!!
Lots and lots of documents to gather:
Birth certificates/marriage certificates/tax records/medical forms/FDLE background checks/employment letters/bank letters/financial statements, the list goes on and on. . . . .

I love this book ! ! !

Christmas 2004

Christmas Eve this year was at our home. We hope next year will be at our new house. We received great gifts (many for the new house). My sister bought me this book called " I Love You Like Crazy Cakes" by Rose Lewis and Jane Dyer. When it arrived and I read it, I cried. It is a story I will read to Mia. It is a story that was written by a woman who celebrates the love and joy her adoption has brought her. It is illustrated and definately a book to read at bedtime. I love it!!

Thanksgiving 2004!! That's when it all began.

After discussing adoption and its different options, Mike and I have decided to meet with a family who has adopted a girl from China and is going back for their second child in a couple of months. Graciously they invited us over on Thanksgiving Day after their dinner and before they left to go to visit family. We met their daughter (adorable) and asked lots and lots of questions. They shared their scrapbook with us and we followed their trip entirely. And coincidently, Jeff is a City of Miami Firefighter and as most of you know Mike's dad is retired from the same department. I believe in fate, what are the chances of knowing someone who would refer me to the Fitzgerald's who live in Weston around the corner from my parents and then to find out he's a firemen from Miami.

We did some research and were undecided on an agency until we met The Fitzgerald's. They spoke highly of USAA, Norman, and the China team.

Needless to say after visiting them, I did not feel like eating anything. My stomach had butterflies and we couldn't wait to share the news.