Paperchase!

Adoption news from LSS, where our homestudy agency/social worker is working to get us USCIS (used to be INS before 9/11 when it was put under the Department of Homeland Security) approval. This is basically the U.S. gvt's way of assuring another country that we are financially capable of supporting a child and that we aren't criminals. (We were fingerprinted by them back in July and so the criminal part is ok....no surprise!!) It also allows us to apply to be "immigration sponsors" for a foreign citizen to come to this country. Because my husband is a member of the clergy and our taxes are done differently than most 9-5 jobs, our 1040 does not show accurately our income. (I also had a substantial raise in pay in January '07 when I was promoted from city treasurer to clerk, and that change is not on our 2006 taxes.) As a result, USCIS needs further proof of our financial situation and that requires a bunch more forms. We need to prove that we are at or above the 125% of the poverty line, which for a family of 5 (including child) is about $30,000/yr. So, this social worker is trying to figure out how we do that.

So far we've done tons of paperwork varying from: name, address, age, etc., to "how do you feel about........" sappy questions about our families, emotions, childhoods, children, views on race, culture, adoption, etc. from 2 agencies (2 applications plus homestudy stuff). We've had medical exams, local and federal fingerprints (local had to be done inside the jail....a bit wierd...and federal involved an overnight stay in Fargo because our appt. was at 8 a.m.), 2 days of adoption education in Minneapolis, visit to LSS office in Moorhead, home visit (clean that house!!), a "parenting resource plan" which involved contacting community resources- educational, medical, emotional and spiritual-so we would know where to go for problems that may ensue, several contacts with the International Adoption Clinic doctors at the U of M regarding interpretation of medical reports received on "I" throughout these months, gotten our pictures taken and applied for (and received) our renewed passports, requested copies of our marriage license, and probably lots more I've repressed. And sadly, there is much more ahead of us than behind us. We must get this 12-page USCIS form off, as well as our entire dossier which will be sent to India. I still need to order more copies of our birth certificates, get letters from our bank, jobs and doctors (again), and who knows what all!! And yes, all this is worlds better than vomiting 24/7.

I am still hoping to have the child we are trying to be matched with on hold for us by Thanksgiving. This is not likely, but would certainly be something to be thankful for! It will be wonderful to know that our agency will not show him to any other families.

Should "I" be put on hold for us, we would then need to be approved by the orphanage. After that, we send our dossier (lots of documents) to India. They would process it and give us NOC (no objection certificate) that shows that India approves of the match. Then there are 3 court dates that he must get through, and he needs a visa....then travel! India is trying to make this process much quicker, so we'll see how that goes!!

If anyone is a Seinfeld fan, "Serenity Now!!"