Papers, Papers, & More Papers!

"There's no space that His love can't reach
There's no place where we can't find peace
There's no end to amazing grace

Take me in with Your arms spread wide
Take me in like an orphan child
Never let go, Never leave my side"

Crowder - I Am (Lyric Video)

Adoption involves a lot of paperwork and "sealing" documents through an authentication process. First I obtained certified copies of our birth certificates and marriage certificate. Then I learned that I also needed to obtain a Triple Seal Page to accompany the certified marriage certificate. I mailed these documents to the Secretary of State offices in KY and VA for further certification. We created an Adoption Petition and Financial Statement then obtained Employment Verifications for each of us. We also required physical exams to complete our health forms. Each of these documents had to be notarized and then must be sealed within 6 months of the earliest date on the page. Yesterday, I mailed the documents to the NC Secretary of State Office for certification. The next step in authentication is the Department of State Authentications Office and the final step is the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC. Please pray that all of our documents pass inspection and make it back home safely after each mailing!

Beginning the Journey

"He cares for the orphans." -Psalm 146:9

The longing for this journey began many years ago in a little girl's heart. I was introduced to the concept of adoption from China by a couple in my church. I was an adolescent, wanting to belong and be loved. I was horrified that little girls on the other side of the world were being abandoned solely for being female. I hoped that some day I would bring home one of those orphaned children to love. Every child deserves the warm embrace of a parent, hugs from family, and a sense of belonging in a community. After reading about the lack of nutrition, medicine, heat, and staff in orphanages, Phillip was fully on board with providing a forever home to a child in need. We are so excited for the opportunity to care for another child and add to our family!

Last summer Phillip and I started researching adoption agencies. We chose Chinese Children Adoption International for their passion, dedication, and experience. CCAI has been ranked #1 by the China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption. CCAI has found homes for more than 11,000 children since 1992. We signed our contracts with CCAI in October and began the long paper chase. Phillip and I are participating in the Waiting Child Program. Many children are orphaned in China due to the lack of healthcare and inaccessibility to surgery/therapy. We completed our Medical Conditions Checklist to include surgically repairable conditions such as cleft lip/palate, club foot, and hernia. At first we selected preference for female, but then we found out that 60% of Chinese orphans are boys! I thought we would be bringing equality and love to a little girl's life. However, Phillip and I couldn't imagine leaving a little boy behind just because he was male. So we changed our list to no gender preference. We're sure God already has our next child in mind and we can't wait to meet him/her!
Phillip and I are working with Children's Home Society of NC for our home study. A home study is an assessment of prospective adoptive parents to see if they are suitable for adopting a child. During meetings with our social worker, she asked questions about how we met, our marriage, our families, and more. We are currently waiting for the final draft of the home study report.

For more info about Chinese Children Adoption International, visit CCAIfamily.org