Home Study = Almost Complete!

We got the call on the afternoon of Tuesday the 13th that our home study was complete! Well, with the exception of AJ's TB test result, which happens to be the only adoption-related thing that I can't seem to locate. Of course. So, we had to wait until the morning to contact the clinic for a copy of the results, but wouldn't you know, after hours of trying to get a hold of someone, nobody has it. And since it hasn't been thirty days yet since his yellow fever vaccination (a live vaccine), we had to wait until Friday to get his PPD test redone. In the meantime, our social worker had agreed to send us the home study for our review so we could let her know if any changes needed to be made. Then all she'd be waiting on is that PPD result!

We also made the switch from an independent adoption to an agency adoption in the last week. After coming across more and more information about the corruption that can be involved in intercountry adoption, we felt a huge responsibility to ensure that we are not unknowingly a part of taking a child from a family who is wanting to care for him. Feeling this burden but not knowing what to do about it, we rather accidentally came across an agency that stands for everything we believe in. Their mission is to find families for children, not children for families. That was a clear sign from God if we ever saw one! So, we're in the process of applying with them now and are so excited to be working with them! Our program director is so kind and wonderfully helpful. While unexpected, this has been an amazing development in our adoption journey.

So after our home study draft has been approved by us (we'll make our second and final revisions on Monday), our social worker will send it to our agency to review it. With their approval, we will give our social worker the thumbs up to consider it complete!

Once it's finalized, it'll be off to USCIS and we'll be waiting for our fingerprinting appointment and immigration approval! That approval (called an I-171H) is all we need to get on the wait list with our agency. SO exciting!