Our Adoption Timeline
2/26/03 - We applied to our agency, China Adoption With Love.
3/16/03 - Our first home study appointment. And she wants to do the home visit first! After much cleaning, shuffling about and disturbing of cats our apartment looks great. We meet our social worker and have a good first home study meeting.
4/6/03 - Jenn meets with our social worker.
4/12/03 - Ben meets with our social worker.
4/27/03 - We both meet with our social worker, and learn about Jenn's dubious past. Thankfully, the police report was referring to a different Jenn!
5/1/03 - We receive our completed home study!
5/14/03 - We mailed our completed I600A document of to the BCIS. Oh to put all of your trust into a government agency. Our home study was also sent to the BCIS at this time.
5/27/03 - We go into Boston to have our fingers printed. The big fingerprinting. Printing of the fingers. The day probably would have gone a whole lot better if we hadn't spent a good hour in the wrong line. But - we arrived in Boston just before 8 am and were done by 11:30.
6/10/03 - An auspicious day all around. We find out that our fingerprints cleared, our I171H came through, and that CAWLI has all of our paperwork on file and ready to have stuff done to it! Woo Hoo!
7/2/03 - We are informed that we are officially DTC (that's dossier to China for those who don't yet know the lingo).
7/18/03 - Our log in date at the China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA). We now officially exist in the eyes of the Chinese government. From here on in, the only thing we have to do is wait. Wait. And wait some more.
7/19/03 - A large group of adoptive parents in all the stages of waiting and/or being home descended on a quiet Rhode Island eatery and had a great time in which many chickens were consumed, many discussions had and many pictures shown. This was the last public place where Ben was seen to drink coffee.
7/28/03 - Oh yeah, we almost forgot about the Brown Envelope™ which arrived in the mail today. This came to us from the US consulate in China and contains a whole bunch of paperwork we'll need to complete when we get to China. Gosh, but this is seeming a lot 'more real' now.
9/2/03 - Waiting. Yup, we're waiting. Ho hum. . . still waiting. . . .
9/5/03 - October And November 2002 referrals arrive
in the US from the CCAA.
12/25/03 - Christmas happens
1/1/04 - It's our year!
3/9/04 - Our referral arrives at CAWLI! We get
The Call and a few hours later, have pictures of Isabella in our hands.
4/15/04 - Our travel meeting with CAWLI where we'll
get our itinerary, tickets and specifics about our trip.
5/5/04 - We leave for China to be united with our
daughter Isabella!
5/10/04 - This is actually the 9th in the states, or
MOTHER'S DAY! We meet Isabella Grace Chun for the first time at
9:30 am, China time.
5/11/04 - Our adoption is finalized in China.
5/19/04 - Bella (as we're now calling her) touches
US soil for the first time in Chicago and becomes a United States
Citizen.
9/4/05 - We find time to update the website. Phew!
10/05 - 6/06 - A whole bunch of stuff happens with alarming speed and amazing clarity.
6/7/06 - We apply to China Adoption With Love for our second adoption.
6/17/06 - Ben sends in his passport renewal form.
6/24/06 - Our first meeting with our social worker.7/10/06 - Jenn meets with our social worker.
7/13/06 - Ben meets with our social worker. State CORI and DSS checks in at CAWLI offices.
8/7/06 - Exactly two months to the day after submitting our application, we receive our completed homestudy. Go CAWLI!
9/08/06 - Fingerprint appointment. We make our way into Boston, this time to the right place! We're in and out in less than 20 minutes.
9/20/06 - CAWLI informs us that our USCIS approval has arrived at their office and they're now authenticating and translating our documents.
10/10/06 - CAWLI informs us that we're DTC! Our documents should be in China no later than the 10/17/06. We're on our way to the great big wait!
11/9/06 - CAWLI informs us that we're logged in with the CCAA. China now knows we exist!
03/15/07 - Bella is four!
11/09/07 - The one year mark.
12/18/07 We sign on to the Special Needs program with CAWLI
3/11/08 - We get the Call and learn a bit about XiaoTian!
3/15/08 - Bella turns FIVE! Yikes!
3/24/08 - our Pre-approval letter is on it's way!
Feel free to Email Us us with any questions or concerns!
Check out Ben's other project, Arsgeek!