New ICBF List

November 30th, 2009

I received an e-mail from my case worker this morning with the latest ICBF list.  It looks like families in my situation:                   ~non-Colombian waiting for an infant~                             have been waiting 44 months.  We have currently been waiting 21 months.  That means we still have about 2 more years from this point before we are assigned a region.  Wowzer.  Hopefully the world does not ends in 2012 like the Mayans and Hollywood suggest because it looks like that is when we get our baby!

Age of Child                           Date of Application Approval by ICBF

 

Child 0-12 months————Mar – 2006
Child 13 – 23 months ——–Mar -2006
Child 2 years ——————Jul – 2005
Child 3 years ——————Dec – 2005
Child 2 – 3 years ————–Apr – 2006
Child 3 – 4 years ————-   Oct – 2005
Child 4 years —————–   Sep – 2005
Child 5 years —————–   June – 2006
Child 4 -5 years ————-    Apr – 2006
Child 5 – 6 years ———–     May – 2007
Child 6 years —————–   Nov – 2008
Child 7 years —————-    Jul – 2009

2 Siblings 0 – 4 years — Mar-2007
2 Siblings 0 – 5 years — Jul-2006
2 Siblings 0 – 6 years — Aug-2007
2 Siblings 0 – 7 years — Nov-2008
2 Siblings 0 – 8 years — Jan – 2009

 

New ICBF List

September 7, 2009

Age of Child ——- Date of Application Approval by ICBF
Child 0-12 months —— Feb -2006
Child 13 – 23 months —- Feb-2006
Child 2 years ———– June-2005
Child 3 years ———– Oct-2005
Child 2 – 3 years ——– Apr -2006
Child 3 – 4 years ——– Jul-2005
Child 4 years ———– Aug-2005
Child 5 years ———– May-2006
Child 4 -5 years ——– Apr-2006
Child 5 – 6 years ——- May-2007
Child 6 years ———– Nov-2008
Child 7 years ———– Apr-2009
2 Siblings 0 – 4 years — Mar-2007
2 Siblings 0 – 5 years — Jul-2006
2 Siblings 0 – 6 years — Aug-2007
2 Siblings 0 – 7 years — Nov-2008
2 Siblings 0 – 8 years — Oct-2008

Thanks to Summerce for always posting the updates!!
http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com

If things continue the way they are currently going, I think we will receive a referral sometime in fall or winter of 2011.  It will be here before we know it!  Until then, having fun solo time with the hubby and maybe planning a vacation to Thailand! 

1084

August 6, 2009

We have moved up to #1084.  A little Woo Hoo – a little Boo Hoo.  My case worker mentioned that most people who are being referred infants right now have waited 4 years.  Anything can happen between now and then but we will go ahead and get our mind wrapped around 2 1/2 more years.  Not that bad really when I think of how fast time flies.  Gladney is considering opening a Honduras program so we are going to keep an eye on that.  Meanwhile we are still thinking and talking about Ethiopia and domestic.

The photograph above is by Colombian artist Carlos Hoyos and is of Cartagena.  http://www.carloshoyos.com/web_frameset.html

ICBF list from June

July 2009

 

This is the list that we are on.  The lated placements of infants were to people who were approved in December 2005.  It seems as though that would mean we have about 2 more years to go? 

Age of Child ——- Date of Application Approval by ICBF

Child 0-12 months —— Dec-2005
Child 13 – 23 months —- Dec-2005
Child 2 years ———– June-2005
Child 3 years ———– June-2005
Child 2 – 3 years ——– Mar-2006
Child 3 – 4 years ——– Jul-2005
Child 4 years ———– Aug-2005
Child 5 years ———– Feb-2006
Child 4 -5 years ——– Mar-2006
Child 5 – 6 years ——- May-2007
Child 6 years ———– Nov-2008
Child 7 years ———– Nov-2008
2 Siblings 0 – 4 years — Mar-2007
2 Siblings 0 – 5 years — Jul-2006
2 Siblings 0 – 6 years — Aug-2007
2 Siblings 0 – 7 years — Sep-2008

 

3/13/07 ~ Sent agency application
6/18/07 ~ Homestudy Completed
9/21/07 ~ Dossier sent to Colombia
11/25/07 ~ Request for more on Psych Eval
1/8/08 ~ Updated docs sent to Colombia
3/3/08 ~ Received Approval for a child 0-2
8/4/08 ~ Told adoption agency is closing.
8/6/08 ~ New agency
waiting… waiting…

The above painting is by Colombian artist Alejandro Obregon.

Dualing

April 10, 2009

Well,  over a year ago Michael and I considered doing a dual adoption but in the end, decided against it.  Rats!  

Now here we are again, considering a dual adoption.  The best part is that there are a couple new countries we had not considered before.  Rwanda and Ethiopia.  We are still in the process of learning about these countries and the adoption process but so far we are really excited about it.  Each country has infants available for adoption, you can select gender and  Africa has a rich, beautiful culture I know we can incorporate into our lives.

About 10 years ago I lived with a family in a small village in Kenya.  I taught about HIV/AIDS prevention and helped with a woman’s group.  I lived in a tiny room with no electricity and no running water.  The bathroom had no plumbing, no roof and a make shift door.  We cooked dinner each night over an open fire and it was truly magical.  I learned more about the love of family, kindness and peace than I ever thought possible.  I cherish the memories a made there.   I fell in love with Africa and always knew I would return.  I never considered it would be to adopt a baby!

We have a phone conference next week to discuss the countries and will know more then.  It seems that if we choose to go forward, this time next year we will have our baby!

We shall see…

1309

April 7th, 2009

My patience and sanity have truly been tested throughout this process.  I found out that we are number 1309 on the wait list.  With the current average of 10-12 infant referrals per month our wait would be 10 more years.  TEN!  ten, one-zero, 10.  Now, most likely, things will progress and it will not take that long.  hopefully.  What we do know is that there are at least 3 more years to go.  But, it could be more than 3.  And so far in my experience, if it can take longer, it will.

What to do now?  

  What to do, what to do….

Dream

 April 5th, 2009

I had a dream last night that we referred a little boy.  It was wonderful except for the fact that in my dream I had absolutely no idea what to do.  I had no crib, no baby clothes, no diapers or anything.  I just kept thinking “I have no idea how to take care of a baby.”  It was the best and yet scariest dream I have had in a long time. 

We celebrated our 1 year milestone of waiting last month.  Hard to believe there are 2 more years to go.

Woo Hoo

January 22nd, 2009 

We received our new I171H, 2 days before it expired!!!  Now we are good until July 2010.  Yippee 

At that point we will have only been waiting 2 1/2 years (only) and we will have to do it all again.  But until then, we are good.  Big sigh of relief!

Also, for anyone interested, my case worker informed me that the Joint Council is offering a webinar on January 29th. It is for adoptive parents to learn more about the role of the US government in the adoption process.  The webinar is from 7pm-9pm EST and is featuring speakers from the US department of State, USCIS and the US National Benefits Center. 

http://www.jcics.org/webinars.htm

I think there is a $20 fee?  You have to register by January 23rd if interested.

The art I show above is by Colombia artist Fernando Botero. 

New Wait Time

December 23, 2008

It is another wait time change, and it ain’t pretty.  When we first began this process the wait was 12-18 months, and that seemed like forever.  Then the wait time changed to “up to 24 months”.  Then it changed again to “up to 30 months”. 

It has changed again to “Between 30-36 months”.   I am so afraid that 20 months from now, it will change again.  We have only been waiting about 10 months, that means that we still have over 2 years left.  Everyone says that waiting is the hardest part, and I could not agree more.  My mantra “patience in a virtue, patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue…”  I should give a shout out to my case worker Beth who must practice this same mantra on me with all my questions that I ask, re-ask then ask again in another way .  She always kindly answers them without ever making me feel like a pest.

 

Paperwork hell, again…

December 18th, 2008

Has anyone ever had that dream where you are riding on a bus with your side kick, the I171H when all of the sudden he starts to choke?  You  administer CPR saying “You are not going to expire on my watch mister, do you hear me.”  The next thing you know you are in a hospital about to do surgery.  The I171H is on the table, calmly sedated and you begin.  ”Nurse, I need a birth certificate, notarized and apostilled, marriage certificate, fingerprints and an I600A.  What do you mean the notary date does not match the document date?  We are going to lose HIM!  What now, we need more information on the PSYCH eval?  Get me the information, like, yesterday!  Overnight it, notarize it, Expediate! Expediate! Translate.  Go, go, go!  We are running out of time!  Who is at the door?  What is the I800A doing here!  Do not let him in.  He is way to new to get involved in my case, I would not know what to do with him!  Noooooo…”

Then you wake up in a cold sweat?  Anyone?  Okay, never mind.

The one thing I have been told over and over and over again is to not let my I171-H expire.  I REPEAT, do not let it expire.  Well, guess what is about to expire.  Oh yeah, I have about 16 days left.  What is worse, my local USCIS office will not get in touch with me personally.  There is no phone number listed anywhere.  I have actually faxed a document saying “Please, please, please respond to me.”  After 7 attempts finally someone from the USCIS office contacted my social worker.  He just will not contact me and the office is too far to go in person.  Apparently he was “unable” to reach me.  So, the home number, cell number, work number, home address and e-mail apparently were wrong?  Really?  That is your story?

 So I have found myself in paperwork hell yet again.  

Fingerprints, check

Homestudy, check

That is everything.  At least, that was what I thought until I was told I needed to submit a new I134.

I134, check

Then the USCIS office needed my birth certificates, insurance information confirming coverage of the baby, marriage certificates, tax records, et cetera…

Check

New I600A, umm Check!

And here we are again in that limbo we know as “waiting”  tick tock tick tock tick tock…