Our Adoption Journey!
Praying for Baby Hopperton in Ethiopia!
2012:
August 1: Started Adoption Application with Lifeline Children's Services.
August 4: Met with James and Brittney Armstrong for advice and guidance since they had adopted (Brittney screamed and jumped up and down! It was great)
August 14: After much prayer, we completed and emailed the application Lifeline. Paid the application fee
August 16: our Application was ACCEPTED!!!!
We met with our best friends, Carter and Kelly Collins to tell them about our exciting news. Whitney was nervous and SO excited. At dinner we told them we were adopting from Ethiopia. Carter was so excited for our news. Kelly, in best friend fashion, threw her napkin across the table at me, put her hand over her mouth and said "OH MY WORD" and then tears fell down her face. This reaction was priceless! Then Kelly and I went shopping... had to go look at baby things :)
August 17: Received our Welcome Call from Lifeline employee- Sarah! We had to fill out a 33 page application and contract! It was so worth it!
August 18: complted the 33 page application/contract! (Yep we were on it!) We began to brainstorm ideas for fundraising. Planned trips to visit our families over Labor Day to announce the news!
August 20: Took the contract and contract payment to Lifeline. (still having to be sneaky, Whitney went on her "lunch break" to visit a friend. Some of our best friends for the next 18 months! :) ) We schedule our orientation interview.
August 22: Started our required reading "The Connected Child"
August 24: We went to get our FINGERPRINTS completed! Filled out CAN forms and completed background checks. We celebrated our new transition by going to Queen of Sheba for Ethiopia food! (we saw James and Brittney Armstrong there. How funny!?) We organized our paper work.
August 25: Orientation interview was postponed- bummer
August 27: Marriage License arrived in the mail. Told David Melber, Whitney's boss, about the adoption. Went that night to tell David's wife Tera. The Melber's were such an encouragement to us in the early stages of our journey.
August 28: Mailed CAN forms and background checks. Reschedule Orientation Inverview.
August 30: Orientation interview over the phone with our Social Worker, Lyndsey.
August 31: Traveled to Mayfield, KY to visit Whitney's family. Told her dad, brother and sister in law! (Allie said- are you serious Whit? Oh my goodness! Dustin pushed his chair away and had tears in his eyes. Got up and hugged me. such a sweet memory. Dad- "I KNEW IT!" haha really dad? I guess he knew it was coming.) Visited Whitney's mom for dessert. She was excited to be a grandma. Immediately said she wanted to be called "LaLa."
September 1: Visited Whitney's extended family and announced the adoption. Everyone was encouraging and excited! Then went to Whitney's Memaw's and Papaw's- announced to them.
September 2: Visited Derek's parents in Northern KY. Told his mom, dad and brother. I think we caught them off guard, but over time they were very excited.
September 3: Told Derek's extended family and announced the adoption.
September 4: Scheduled home study.
September 5: Told my good friend, Rachel, about our adoption! She jumped up and down and squealed! SO FUN!
September 6: Started Education requirements through IAC. (9hours) Announced to the Crossings staff that we were adopting.
September 8: Celebrated Ethiopia New Year with some good friends who have adopted. We made authentic Ethiopian food for the night, complete with Ethiopian coffee and popcorn.
September 9: Announced to our Small Group at church about our announcements. Adoption announcement posted on facebook and information becomes public! FINALLY!!!
September 10: Homestudy visit with our Social Worker, Lyndsey. Schedule one-on-one interviews (next step in homestudy)
September 11: Ethiopian New Year! :) Started our first fundraiser- Entertainment Book Sales for $30.00
September 16: Started Fundraiser #2- Thirty One Party for the month of September
September 17: Derek had his one-on-one homestudy interview. WE FINISHED ALL OF OUR EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS!!!!!
September 18: Whitney had her one-on-one homestudy interview.
September 16: Started Fundraiser #2- Thirty One Party for the month of September
September 17: Derek had his one-on-one homestudy interview. WE FINISHED ALL OF OUR EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS!!!!!
September 18: Whitney had her one-on-one homestudy interview.
