The Great Paper Chase

Papers a key to adoption. 

There are so many papers that need to be filled out and sought after. Our home study required well over 20 forms filled out, a biography written, septic tank inspection, cat papers and so on.

Our Dossier Packet- This packet is key to an adoption. It is something that you work, work and work for. It is the packet that gets sent to China, allows us to be approved to adopt and allows us to ultimately get our little girl home. This packet is nuts to put together (And I am being nice about my words). It is about 25 pieces of papers including, birth certificates, financial documents, police records, 911 call records, declaration statement, immigration papers, home study, passport copies and so on. All of the documents have to be notarized, certified and then apostle by the Chinese Consulate. Then and only then can they be sent off to China. (Feel free to ask Michael about the hardest document that we had to get which was his birth certificate. What an adventure that was, Honey Boo Boo and all)

We have been working since August to put this packet together. All but one of the 25 items are coming from Georgia. And because of that, they had to go through the county probate court in which they were issued, the state office and then the Chinese consulate in Houston. The other item, my birth certificate came from New York, which means it needs to go through the New York Chinese consulate.

Documents going to the consulate have to be walked in. They will not accept a fed ex package. Because of some gracious friends in Houston, I flew to Houston last night and they took me to the Chinese consulate this morning.

I have always heard stories of the Chinese Consulate. How interesting it could be. So I walked in, with my heavy stack of papers, copied, passports in hand and walked up to the window with bated breath. I knew for sure that it would not be my only trip to the window and man I was right. 6 trips later, 18 unneeded applications for authentication, 6 copies of pages with just a page number my packet was in their hands and a receipt was given. With a date for next Monday pick up. And that was it. Graciously, our friends have offered to go back and pick up the documents for us after thanksgiving and send them to us. I can’t explain how huge this step is. These are the documents that will allow us to meet our little girl. These are the last steps before we spend months waiting to find out who she is. This is it! (Until the next round of paperwork is due).

I need to give a shout out to our friends Justin and Jill. They are friends from my college days that graciously put up with me last night, took me this morning, shared their home, car and family all in the name of our adoption. And even returning to the Chinese consulate to pick up the documents when they are ready.  I joked with Justin today and told him he is now part of the village that is bringing home our daughter. He laughed but it is true. Without their generosity we would be a little bit farther behind in the process. And to boot, they have two cute kids.

Can't figure out how to turn Michael !!! But this is after his birth certificate:)

So there you have it, Michael and I will head to NY in the next two weeks or so to have my birth certificate done (There has been some delays up there due to the Hurricane) and our packet will be off. Which means we get to enter the third trimester of our paper pregnancy.  I think nesting has begun. I have the desire to clean and organize all the time. How productive I will be once the paper chase is completed.

Please be praying for paper to have a snafu free time at the consulate.

Love,

Jennifer

29+4 thoughts......

This post, is not necessarily about adoption, but I am sure somehow It will relate. It is one that has been brewing for a couple of weeks as I approach my birthday.

Tomorrow will be my 4^th anniversary of my 29^th birthdayJ. There is a list of things that I could think of that I thought for sure would have happened by now in my life. When I have looked at that list, I see that those are things that this world has said I should have done by now. What is missing from that list are the things that I have done, experiences that I have had that were not on my original list, places I have been, things I have seen and life that I have experienced.

In my 34 short years of life, much has happened. Yes, I did all the normal kid things like finish high school, I also had the blessing of finishing college. What I most reflect on in my years on this earth are the past 10 (give or take 1) that have changed the original list of where I thought I would be.

In the past 10 years, I have accepted Jesus into my heart and made him my Lord and Savior. This meaning  I was no longer was floundering with my purpose or what is to come when I no longer in habit the earth, but I knew for a fact that everything I did here had eternal significance and I was written in the book.  To add to that gift, I was given and extended family that are my brothers and sisters.

 I have had grand adventures on 4 continents. I have had the opportunity to live abroad. I have hugged the necks of what we would call, very “different” people. Sharing with them basic needs and necessities. 

I got married. That in itself is an amazing story of how God brought us together. It has only been three years, but I feel like we have already lived a lifetime together.  God has used our marriage to teach us so much. And although at 30 I thought that I would never get married, I am thankful that I had to wait that long. I do not think I would have been ready for the lessons that I have learned in my marriage.

I have walked two people home. In looking back at both, was an honor in each case. There is nothing like holding the hand of someone you love and saying goodbye, or in these cases I will see you soon.

I am working in a job that I love. This being the second time that I have been in that situation. To boot, I get to watch lives be changed and transformed in amazing ways.

I have become an Aunt 4 times. The love that I have for them is unbelievable. They bring such joy to my heart.

I am adopting. WOW, this is a huge one. Who would have known 10 years ago when I visited my first orphanage, that I to, would be bringing a little one home.  And just maybe by this time next year, she will be in our house. Oh, the thought of that.

The other list….. There is so much in our society that says we need to dress a certain way, be in a certain place in life at a certain age. Spend our money on certain things. And when you look, many of these things are very temporal. They really have no eternal holding.

So, as I look to the next age, I am incredibly thankful for the fact that I have an eternal perspective. I am thankful for the fact that I am not caught up in the world and their standards, but I am focused on the prize at the end.

Ahhhh, but there is longing there. When we started this process, I so badly wanted to celebrate this birthday with my daughter. I wanted so badly to have her home.  But of course that was my timing, and mine is never perfect. I hope that pray that she knows, some way somehow, that  family is anxious waiting for her. That they cannot wait to celebrate her birthday. And most of all, they just cannot wait to love her.

I am thankful for 34. Not too many people get the privilege of saying that. Each day in this life, no matter how hard, disappointing, exciting, deserve to be celebrated. Each day deserves a thank you, for each day is not promised. And I want to make sure that I go to bed, without the regret of saying, I wish I was in a different place. 

Love,

Jennifer