Orientation Call : )

T and I had our "orientation" call with our agency Tuesday night. This is our fourth adoption with this agency, but times have changed and so has alot of the paperwork/contracts, etc. from the agency. It's totally necessary and always good to be informed and able to ask lots of questions. We are all for doing it all "by the book" and I certainly am all for adoption agencies really making sure that parents are informed and ready for what adoption and the process entails. I do have to share though, how funny it was to us, that when our "orientation" packet came in the mail, there was a one-sheet highlighting one of the families that had adopted through our agency as a sort-of "intro" piece....and it was US!!! Ha ha. Totally unexpected. We got a good chuckle and a warm feeling from that.

And, yes, our bed is unmade...I'm not exactly a domestic diva when it comes to that stuff : )

So, anyway, we have signed contracts and will soon begin even more paperchasing. I just can't wait to see pictures of our future daughter...but that may take a while. In the meantime, we are loving life with the kids and just so grateful for this opportunity. I am also "stealing" a stolen post from my fellow adoption buddy that shows in a humorous way how this all goes...enjoy!

Here's a thumbnail sketch:

1 Fill out questionnaire.

2 Send check.

3 Fill out big questionnaire.

4 Send another check.

5 Get interviewed.

6 Get fingerprinted twice.

7 Write check.

8 Apply for Visa.

9 Write big check.

10 Get more fingerprints.

11 Get copies of every official certified thing ever written about you or files on your behalf.

12 Get your friends to write nice things about you.

13 Get them to write more and different nice things about you to put into the file.

14 Wait forever for the INS to figure out you aren't a terrorist training camp for toddlers.

15 Send another check with your completed file you've copied 9 times because you want to be sure.

16 Send everything to the agency and hope that this is NOT the one package they lose today.

17 Wait.

18 Wait some more.

19 Cruise the boards to find out who's getting referrals.

20 Worry that maybe you picked the wrong agency. (not a worry at all for us!)

21 Wait some more.

22 Get Referral!

23 Send last check.

24 Wait

25 Wait.

26 Check prices for airline tickets.

27 Get shots.

28 Check Passports.

29 Check on Visas for Ethiopia.

30 Wait.

31 Get a court date!

32 Worry you won't pass court.

33 Blame everyone and everything for anyone not passing court.

34 Panic.

35 Pass Court (or not, skip back to 32).

36 Panic some more.

37 Finish the kid's room. (which in our case is two rooms because we are switching out L's room with J2's room)

38 Buy more toys.

39 Panic some more.

40 Wait.

41 Get second round of shots.

42 Wonder why there are 6 pages of things you MUST pack for a 10 day trip.

43 Wonder if ANYONE ever packed that much.

44 Wonder how anyone did and STILL brought things over to donate to the program (feel guilty you couldn't bring more).

45 Meet your child.

46 Joy, mixed with panic because all of the your fears and doubts and everything else are staring you down and sizing you up.

47 More bureaucracy.

48 Travel back to the USA with a child that thinks he's just been kidnapped.

49 Kick yourself for not test installing the car seat before you left.

50 Home. Sleep. Panic.

51 Read your child his first bedtime story (that he still can't understand because he doesn't speak English).

52 Realize that it was all worth it.

Simple