Fingerprinting #2

So, last week I went to get my fingerprints taken that will be sent directly to my Homestudy Agency. Finding the place to get fingerprinted was not easy, it could not be found on a map - I drove up and down the street and almost missed the appointment all together! Anyway, like the last, I was in/out in 10 minutes and there was no ink involved, everything is done by scanner. And this time I knew what to expect. Oh, and the fingerprinter person said that the FBI fingerprinting (3rd type) does use ink UGH :(

Waiting Moms Adoption Support Group Meeting

I attended a meeting this week hosted by my homestudy agency for Mom's in all stages of the adoption process. One of the Mom's received a referral last month and she & her husband will travel to China next week and she shared with us the baby pictures - too cute! The social worker hosting the meeting brought along her Mom as the guest speaker b/c the social worker herself was adopted at birth. We got to ask her Mom questions about what adoption was like 25+ years ago and what things she did to prepare her children (both were adopted domestically) with regards to letting them know that they were adopted from a very young age and how that affected them as they grew up. All of it was very informative!

Getting Fingerprinted is Kinda Creepy

I had my scheduled appointment today with the USCIS for my first of 3 separate fingerprinting requirements. I was in/out in 10 minutes and there is no ink involved, everything is done by computer and a bioscanner. But it was still kinda creepy to have someone rolling each of my fingers across a scanner and saving it to a database.

Explaining the costs of international adoption

I wanted to expand on my older posts about the costs of adoption. The following was actually written by a fellow blogger and adoptive parent (although I did make some changes to reflect my personal situation), I hope she does not mind me sharing/editing this as it so aptly explains the costs of international adoption.

Those pursuing international adoption know how much it costs per country so I'm going to leave the actual total out because it is nobody's business but my own, but I'm sure everyone can imagine the total expenses are high. As a single person, I have fewer documents to gather and authenticate etc. and lower travel costs. I waited until I knew I could comfortably afford this adoption and the ensuing unpaid portions of my family leave before starting my process. The waiting was hard, but essential for my financial peace of mind - especially as a soon-to-be single parent. I chose to adopt from Kyrgyzstan because the program is single-friendly and as far as I know, not rife with corruption like it seems so many countries are. I think a lot of people have made good points about why they feel the fees they are paying are worth it. But with each check I write, I like to keep in mind that I'm paying fees for services that many wonderful people are providing me in an effort to unite my child with me:

• I'm paying the people at my home study agency to prepare me for life as an adopted parent, through classes and reading.
• I'm paying them to help me gather and file all my USCIS paperwork.
  
• I'm paying their social worker to meet with me four times and write a 16-page report about me. I'm paying them to perform and write three post-placement reports for me.
  
• I'm paying the people at CIS to go over all my paperwork and provide me with what I need to bring my child to this country.
  
• I'm paying the people at my placing agency to help me navigate the confusing path of dossier preparation and document authentication. I'm paying them to answer every little question I have about Kyrgyzstan, adoption and post adoption. I'm paying them to advise me, to comfort me, to rally me. I'm paying them to guide me through my referral process and prepare me for travel.
  
• I'm paying pilots and flight attendants to get me safely to and from Kyrgyzstan, twice. I'm paying hotel staff to keep me warm and dry and comfortable. I'm paying cooks and waiters to keep me fed.
  
• In country, I'm paying for the services of translators, guides, drivers and the adoption coordinator, whose specialty it is to navigate this very confusing and utterly unfamiliar territory for me.
  
• I'm paying for the services of people in the Kyrgyzstan government whose job it is to make sure the orphans of their country find safe and loving homes. I'm paying for the time and effort of the people at the U.S. Embassy in Almaty who will see to it my child can legally enter the U.S. as my child.
  
• And perhaps most importantly, I'm paying for the services of the people who have been sheltering, feeding, clothing, changing, protecting, doctoring and nurturing my child, 'round the clock, for at least 6 months of her life.

Working on Homestudy

I'm still working on gathering documents to complete my homestudy. I haven't been able to devote as much time to it as I would like because of work and travel committments over the last month, but I am getting through it!