The paper chase is on!

I cannot believe how much paperwork in involved with this process. I am not complaining I just am overwhelmed to say the least! I just keep remembering the very special gift we will have in our arms at the end!

Here is a breakdown of what will be expected from us (everything in red is completed!!!!!)

Packet #1 -
*Application
*Statement of International Adoption Risks
*Acceptance of Adoption Risks, Limitation of Liability, Dispute Resolution
*General Agreement - NOTARIZED
*Blog guidelines
*Domestic Violence Statement
*Fee Sheet
*Program deposit check - well this just need to be written :)
*home-study review check - this too :)
*Intake and Gladney Approval
*Five Reference letters
*Gladney Medical Forms - we have appointments next week YAHOO

Packet #2 -
*Family Photographs
*Employment Verification Letters - NOTARIZED
*Proof of insurance letter - I am convinced the CSR's @ United Health do not speak the same language as me because they just do not seem to understand what I need :)
*Proof of Medical Insurance for the adopted child - see above
*Child preference profile
*HIV DNA PCR Form
*Copies of Birth Certificate
*Marriage License
*Copies of Drivers License
*Copies of Passport - waiting on these because I never changed my legal name on my passport after we got married

Packet #3 -
*Physician Reports - Both of us - NOTARIZED
*Criminal Clearances
*I600A Application
*Post Placement Agreement
*Two Notarized Home Studies
**nothing in this group can be done till our home-study! Good news is we picked a fantastic man who came highly recommended and we meet with him as soon as we get back from Maine

That is not including the Foreign Dossier :) We will save that for another post! I will admit that since I stopped working in a busy office this last year it has been wonderful making phone calls again, speaking with people, arguing with them when they just don't understand (which is more often then not!) and that feeling of accomplishment when finishing these tasks!

Here is a photo Eric snapped of me filing out and organizing the paperwork :)

Eric's words.....

Meghan and I have had four wonderful years of marriage and look forward to many, many more. It has however been a struggle to fulfill our dreams of starting a family. We consciously try our best (and mostly succeed) in living our lives with the idea that it is not about the destination, but rather the journey, and that each and every day should be cherished and enjoyed.

After four years of struggling with fertility issues the emotional and physical toll it has taken on us, especially Meghan, became too great and we both, almost instinctively, knew it was time for a change. We were tired of not knowing when, or even if, we might be able to add to our family. We had had enough of feeling inadequate, incapable, and just plain star-crossed. No more doctor appointments, invasive medical procedures and wildly speculative diagnoses. Without being too New Age-y about it all, just maybe there was a reason we had to go through this and it was time to explore what that reason might be.

We had many discussions about the future and what path our life would take from that point on but it truly was Meghan who had the “Aha!” moment. In researching and weighing and contemplating our options, this just felt right. She came to me with her thoughts, she was beaming, a weight had been lifted. This newfound lightness was accompanied by a new determination to make this happen as soon as possible. There was at last light at the end of the tunnel and as is our philosophy, we aspire to savor and appreciate each and every step of this process. Our child is (or more likely soon will be) out there, in Ethiopia, waiting for us to come pick him or her up. Pretty thrilling stuff.

It is an almost indescribable feeling of anticipation and elation now that we can finally picture how our family is going to come to together. We’ll soon be able to lavish all of our love and affection on a sweet, innocent child who needs it just as much as we need to share it. A perfect arrangement if ever there was. I can't wait.

Meghan's words......

Many people might ask, "why adoption" or "why Ethiopia", maybe we should start from the beginning.

Seven years ago I was working the day shift behind the bar and in walks this gorgeous friend of my boss and I think I fell in love that very second! Eric and I dated for 3 years before we got married and in that time we became the proud parents of Mabel (our yellow lab), bought our very first home and became the proud Auntie and Uncle to Mya, Jackson and Logan. We were married on 6/24/2006 and started trying to expand our family that very day. If you had asked any of our friends they would have told you we'd have a baby on exactly the 9 month anniversary of our wedding :).

We did get pregnant twice that first year but they both ended in tubal pregnancies and eventually miscarriage. We were referred to a wonderful doctor at Shady Grove and began the long and emotional journey of fertility treatments. We have endured three rounds of IVF, two that were successful, and just as we started to have faith that this was it they both again ended in miscarriage.

I don't know why but somehow I felt sure that 2010 was going to be "our year" and as the months started to pass, we both had to really look into ourselves and decide what path we as a family would take. The choice for us to adopt was not a simple choice to make, I first had to give up on the fact that I may never carry a child, that we may not know ever what our biological children would look like and I had to let go of the feeling of failure that I was holding onto. I truly began to make sense of all of these feelings on my birthday this year. I was reading all the wonderful blogs of people who have adopted, particularly from Ethiopia, and at that moment I just knew, "This is what we are supposed to do." I have always believed that there is a reason why things happen in life and just maybe this is why we have had so much trouble conceiving. There are 5 million orphans in Ethiopia, many die before their 5th birthday, and there is one out there that is destined to be a Manas.

I came across this quote, "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do." Helen Keller - and it felt like these words were meant for me.

I am so blessed to have a wonderful family and supportive friends but most of all I am truly blessed with an amazing husband. The last 4 years have been filled with happiness but also so much sadness and it has deepened the love I have for Eric and the reassurance our love can and will last. I am thankful to anyone and everyone who reads and follows our journey to become a family of 3 (or4!) and if you can help support our cause in any way, we thank you so much!

The video that changed my life........