Our Big Happy Family Blog: 2014 Christmas Pics

Sunday, February 22, 2015

2014 Christmas Pics

My son's fiance is a photographer. She took these pictures for Sarah's family and for Jared's family.

Taken by Frankie Najor Photography.

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Adoption Reading List

A Guide to Adoption & Orphan Care by Russell Moore
A Treasury of Adoption Miracles by Karen Kingsbury
Adopted For Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches by Russel Moore
Adoption & Foster Rx: Solutions for Wounded Families DVD's by Terry Meeuwsen
Adoption as a MInistry, Adoption as a Blessing by Michelle Gardner
Adoption Parenting
After The Dream Comes True by Michelle Gardner
Attaching in Adoption by Deborah Gray
Before You Were Mine: Discovering Your Adopted Child's Lifestory by Susan Tebos and Carissa Woodwyk
Born In Our Hearts: Stories of Adoption by Filis Casey and Marisa Casey
Bring My Sons From Afar by Bertha Holt
Castaway Kid by r.b. mitchell
Changed: collected ponderings from our adoption journey by Olivia Gregory
Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman
Cross-Cultural Adoption: How to Answer Questions from Family, Friends & Community by Amy Coughlin & Caryn Abramowitz
Daddy, Come & Get Me: a dad's adventure through a Guatemalan adoption by Gil Michelini
From Ashes to Africa: A Memoir by Josh & Amy Bottomly
From Fear to Love: Parenting Difficult Adopted Children by B. Bryan Post
In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories by Rita Simon & Rhonda Roorda
Love in the Driest Season
Loved by Choice: True Stories That Celebrate Adoption by Susan Horner & Keely Martindale
Parenting Your Adopted Older Child by Brenda McCreight
Second-Chance Mother: A Memoir by Denise Roessle
Seeds of Love: For Brothers and Sisters of International Adoption by Mary Petertyl
The Complete Book of International Adoption
The Seed From the East by Bertha Holt
There is No Me Without You by Melissa Faye Greene
This Means War: Equipping Christian Families for Fostercare of Adoption by Cheryl Ellicott
Wait No More: one family's amazing adoption journey by Kelly & John Rosati
We Are All The Same: A Story of a Boy's Courage and a Mother's Love by Jim Wooten
Wounded Children Healing Homes: How Traumatized Children Impact Adoptive & Foster Families by Jayne Schooler, Betsy Smalley & Timothy Callahan

Our First Adoption Timeline: 2006-2007 Anna Mihret & Adah Derartu

8/21/07-Fly home!!!
8/21/07-Embassy date!
8/8/07-Notifiied of August 21 embassy date
7/26/07-Notified that Derartu has an upper respitory infection
7/23/07-Court date successful
6/25/07-Second medicals on girls received
5/17/07-Sent in acceptance forms for Derartu & Mihret
5/16/07-Receive referral info on Derartu
5/16/07-Receive referral info on Mihret
5/15/07-Asked to consider two girls 7 months & 13/14 months
4/6/07-Attend Kingdom Kids Older Child Ethiopian Adoption Training
3/29/07-Dossier to Ethiopia
3/23/07-Dossier arrives at CWA & shopped to D.C.
3/19/07-CWA receives our I-171H
2/27/08-Homestudy draft ready for review
2/6/07-CWA receives our paperwork
1/18/07-Change from the country of Guatemala to Ethiopia
12/21/06-CWA receives our application
12/20/06-Request information on adoption from CWA

Second Adoption Timeline: 2007-2008 Addis & Abi Mulu

4/25/08-Home!
4/24/08-Leave Ethiopia
4/22/08-Embassy Date
4/21/08-Meet our new daughters
4/19/08-Travel to Ethiopia
4/3/08-Notified of possible April 22 embassy date
3/28/08-Successful Court date!
3/18/08-Another CWA family meets our girls and delivers a care package for us
3/18/08-Court postponed until March 28
2/28/08-Notified of March 18 court date
2/18/08-Girls received second medicals
2/11/08-Girls moved to CWA foster home/care center
2/6/08-Faxed our I-171H to CWA
1/23/08-Dossier on its way to Ethiopia
1/8/08-Our dossier was approved by CWA
12/12/07-Assigned a case manager
12/12/07-Accepted referral of Addis & Mulu as our new daughters!
12/12/07-Inquired again about Addis & Mulu
12/3/07-Homestudy update is ready for review
11/12/07-CWA receives our adoption application
11/8/07-Started homestudy update with Adoption Options
10/22/07-Inquired about Addis & Mulu

Our 3rd Adoption Timeline 2010-2012-AWAA-Skyler/Little A

July, 2012-Withdraw from AWAA adoption program
July, 2012-I fly alone to Ethiopia. Decide not to go forward with adoption.
July, 2012-Receive phone call that I might have kidney cancer.
June 29, 2012-Receive word we have a court date
March 24, 2012-Homestudy Update Social Worker visit scheduled
March 2012-Care package sent
March 1, 2012-Case transferred to new process in Southern Ethiopia. New orphanage identified. Agency gathering new referral docs. Appeal not submitted to Federal Court.
February and March 2012-Updating homestudy which involves dr. visits, LiveScans, notaries, etc...
February 15, 2012-AWAA plans to submit an appeal to the Federal Court of Ethiopia
February 3, 2012-Receive pics from a family
January 20, 2012-Receive invoice from AWAA to update homestudy since we've added Meskerem to our family.
December 23, 2011-Brought Meskerem home while waiting for Little A's information to get figured out.
December 13, 2011-Receive update that her paperwork has still not been resolved. More waiting.
December 6, 2011-Receive pics from a traveling family
Nov 10-Send off care package
Oct 13-AWAA calls. Family history as known is false. Further investigation needed.
Sept 29-Paperwork transferred to KVI and new family history research started
July 29-Original orphange shut down by Ethiopian government, adoption on hold
June 22-Dossier to Ethiopia
June 16-Sent our dossier to our agency
June 14-Received State certification on two documents
June 13-Received I-171H
May 23 USCIS Fingerprinting
April 8, 2011-Homeland Security Papers & Fee FedExed to Texas, We receive pictures and a video of Little A-God is working a miracle with her special need!
March 24, 2011-Send in post-adoption report fees
March 21, 2011-Our homestudy has been approved
March 21, 2011-Send a care package to our little gal
March 14, 2011-Send in Official Referral Acceptance Papers
March 8, 2011-Accept referral of Little A
Jan 7-Contacted by social worker and interviews will start this month
January 4, 2011-Homestudy paperwork received and social worker should be in contact soon
December 27, 2010-Homestudy paperwork and homestudy fee in mail to AWAA-California
December 10-Wristband Fundraiser started
November 30-Tastefully Simple Fundraiser-$150 raised
Adoption Bug T-Shirt Fundraiser Started
October 25-Sarah's Treasure Box Fundraiser-$250 raised with sale of 50 necklaces
October 1-Receive Home Study packet and Welcome to the Ethiopia program emails
September 26-Sent in first agency fee
September 17-Fill out required agency agreement forms and get ready to mail with first agency fee
September 16-Receive phone call that we're approved to adopt
September 12-Coin boxes ready for fundraising
September 7-Send in applicaton
September 6-Start our first fundraiser with JustLove Coffee Roasters
September 6, 2010-Fill out application
September 4 2010-Decide to move forward with adoption of two children
August 2010-Request information packet from America World Adoption

Our Fourth Adoption Timeline: 2011-2012 Meskerem

October 22, 2012-Receive phone call from lawyer that social worker has some typo errors on report and the court wants it corrected and resubmitted.
October 2, 2012-Interview with social worker from San Diego County for adoption report
Home interview with social worker from County of San Diego
March 2012-Receive paperwork from San Diego adoption services that fees are due to start post-placement reports
February 27, 2012-Adoption Request filed with San Diego Superior Court
February 3, 2012-Had to sign a screwy document stating that she is NOT American Indian
January 2012-Receive a video from a friend of Meskerem's original orphange
January 2012-Enroll her in school
12/23/2011-Off to Ohio & Home to San Diego!!!
12/22/2011-Make airline reservations to Ohio!
12/22/2011-CA ICPC approval granted!
12/22/2011-Race around town trying to sign a Placement Agreement
12/16/2011-CA ICPC needs more documentation from Ohio
12/9/2011-person at Ohio ICPC who needs to review and approve our application, is out of the office and "in training"
12/9/2011-Start making travel plans with Ohio family
11/30/2011-Signed "Statement to Remain in Ohio" paper
11/30/20111-Homestudy scanned and sent Fed Ex Overnight to Ohio attorney
11/30/2011-Signed "Legal Risk" paper
11/30/2011-Homestudy DONE!
11/28/2011-Phone call received that my fingerprints DIDN'T clear. Immediately head to LiveScan.
11/18/2011-My fingerprints FINALLY clear
11/17/2011-Struggle between AWAA & Family Connections over homestudy
11/9/11-Steve drops off birth certificates for our four oldest kids and other documents to Family Connections
11/7/11-Homestudy reviewed and approved
10/27/11-Fed Ex Same Day documents from AWAA-CA to Family Connections
10/27/11-AWAA has homestudy needed in Word format
10/14/11-Have LiveScan fingerprinting done
10/13/11-Mom died
10/11/11-Mom goes home for hospice care
10/11/11-Receive fingerprint forms & information
10/7/11-Going forward with Family Connections Christian Adoptions for expedited domestic homestudy
10/7/11-Cancel contract and payment with ICA
10/6/11-Mom goes into the hospital
10/5/11-In contact with International Christian Adoption Services when we find out that we do have to do a domestic homestudy
9/9/11-I contact family
9/8/11-Receive email contact info for family
8/18/11-Cancel contract with Life Adoption services after we are told a domestic homestudy is not needed
8/17/11-Contact Life Adoption Services about doing a homestudy
8/11/11-Receive Mending Hearts program forms for acceptance of adoption
8/11/11-Family has approved us to go forward
8/9/11-Contact adoption lawyer
8/8/11-Joint conference call with family
8/4/11-Notified that family would like to have a joint conference call with us
8/2/11-Concurrent Family Building application approved by AWAA
8/2/11-Telephone interview with All Blessings
7/30/11-Our AWAA social worker writes Letter of Support to AWAA
7/29/11-AWAA considers our appeal to do a concurrent adoption in addition to our Ethiopia adoption
7/12/11-All Blessings receives necessary documents from us to go forward
7/11/11-Received her case information
7/5/11-Sent in signed documents to register for the program
7/2/11-Saw her picture on All Blessings and contacted agency

Our Big Happy Family Blog

Sunday, February 22, 2015

2014 Christmas Pics

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