OK this is overwhelming. I just got the draft of my dossier documents and I have to say, even though I have known for months what this would entail, I am a little freaked out. There are just so many things that need to be perfectly word and perfectly dated and perfectly signed that I feel a little dizzy. LMI (my agency) is really wonderful at setting things up for you, so I feel lucky in that regard. Now I just have to try and get others to cooperate as quickly as they have. It would be one thing if I was signing all of these notarized documents, but my doctor, my bank, my CPA, my parents... I mean, there are so many things to be done here that I feel like I should be teaching Gunnar to sign his signature just in case:
"I, Gunnar, hereby promise to eat all of baby Lily's scraps and give her kisses on a regular basis."
So, now would be a great time for those of you have been through this to give me a little pep talk. I need some support from the troops, I think.
Wish me luck!
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This is the story of how a single 30-something year old woman and a 6.5 month old angel from Kazakhstan found each other and became a family. A journey which started as a dream, became reality in August 2009 when two hearts found one home... together.
Anelya Porter Caesar
On September 3, 2009 at 11:22 in Semey, Kazakhstan, Elemecova Aneliya Ahatovna became Anelya Porter Caesar and I became her mother. This is our love story of how we became a family.
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Blog Archive
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2008
(90)
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June
(10)
- Starting the Dossier
- AMAZING! I-71H RECEIVED in 24 hours!!!
- Homestudy to USCIS
- Community
- Big Weekend Ahead
- Vogue, Vogue, Vogue
- Gunnar much more alert in the "looking at the mam...
- Gunnar falling asleep while sitting outward in th...
- Gunnar (not lying down) in the bassinett
- OK people - we have movement again
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June
(10)
Adoption Timeline
- 11/06/09 (???) Anelya Becomes U.S. Citizen
- 10/31/09 Gotcha Day
- 10/28/09 Back to Kazakhstan
- 09/05/09 End of Trip 1
- 09/03/09 Court Date
- 08/10/09 "Meetcha Day"
- 08/08/09 Off to Kazakhstan
- 07/31/09 Receive Letter of Invitation (LOI)
- 1/12/09 Region Assignment
- 12/04/08 (more or less) Dossier at Ministries
- 10/13/08 Dossier at NY Consulate
- 10/03/08 (maybe earlier) Dossier Out of Translation
- 08/27/08 Home Study Received by LMI (4-6 weeks until Consulate)
- 08/26/08 Sent Revised Home Study to LMI
- 08/26/08 Got Revised Home Study Apostilled
- 08/26/08 Received New Home Study
- 08/15/08 Request to pull homestudy from translation to provide updated one with no gender preference
- 08/14/08 Dossier in Translation
- 08/05/08 Dossier sent to LMI
- 08/04/08 Apostilled docs received
- 07/31/08 NH dossier docs sent for apostilles
- 07/30/08 Dossier Approved for Apostille Process
- 07/24/08 Faxed Dossier to LMI for approval
- 07/17/08 Received Fingerprints
- 07/08/08 Sent Fingerprints to FBI
- 07/07/08 Fingerprinting
- 06/26/08 I-71H RECEIVED!!!
- 06/25/08 Applied for two grants
- 06/25/08 Sent Homestudy to USCIS
- 06/19/08 Homestudy final copy received
- 06/02/08 Homestudy draft submitted to LMI
- 05/02/08 Biometrics/Fingerprints at USCIS
- 04/25/08 Medical Exam Complete
- 04/20/08 Homestudy Begins
- 04/19/08 Received Background Check Back from CPS
- 04/18/08 Completed Adoptive Parenting Course
- 04/17/08 Received Application Received Notification from USCIS
- 04/17/08 Social Worker Contacts Me
- 04/13/08 Started Adoptive Parent Education Requirement
- 04/10/08 Filed I600A with US Citizenship and Immigration Services
- 04/09/08 Assigned a social work for home study
- 04/05/08 Contracts received by Agencies
- 04/04/08 Sent Background Check Request to CPS
- 04/02/08 Sent Agency Contracts and Home Study Request
- 2/01/08 - 04/01/08 Slacked and went to Sweden
- 1/30/08 Application ACCEPTED!!!
- 1/25/08 Notification that LMI received application
- 1/25/08 Joined International Adopt NH yahoo group
- 1/22/08 Sent application to LMI
- 1/17/08 Life insurance physical
- 1/16/08 Filled in application
- 01/06/08 Decision to use Little Miracles International (LMI)
- 01/06/08 Joined Adoption Agency Research on Yahoo Group
- 1/02/08 Joined single Kaz moms yahoo group
- 12/29/07 Joined Kazakhsan Adoption on Yahoo Groups
- 12/29/07 Started Adoption fundraising on Amazon
- 12/24/07 Started Adoption Blog
- 12/24/07 Decision to adopt from Kazakhstan
- 12/15/07 Decision to adopt
Kazakhstan Articles
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Appropriate Adoption Communication Cheat Sheet
- Instead of A) try using B)
- A) Do you have your own children? B)Do you have a biological child?
- A) She has an adopted daughter. B) She has a daughter.
- A) They have a Kazakh son. B) They have a son.
- A) She is a single adoptive mother. B) She is a mother. (Unless he is single, interested and decent. Then y all means, mention the single part ;-) )
- A) She is adopted. B) She was adopted. (Adoption is a one time event)
- A) His real parents B) His biological parents
- A) She was abandoned. B) She was placed for adoption.
- A) His birth mother gave him up. B) His birth mother was unable to to parent him.
- A) How much did she cost? B) How much did the adoption process cost?
Links I have found helpful
Map of Kazakhstan
I'm a Peacemaker
10 comments:
Ok, I have done this twice. You CAN do this! Keep in mind that it will bring your daughter home. Soon, you will be able to word and sign all of this in your sleep-LOL. I also suggest discovering which of your friends is a notary able to sign things on a moments notice. In addition, when needing to go to various offices, locate some type of treat you associate with each so that you have a reward when you need to return again and again to have the same document reworded like you specified the other 5 times you were there. My downfall was Krispy Kreme behind the police station. Now, Krispy Kreme donuts are forever associated with adoption and we eat them on our Family Days :-)
Start signing!
Shanna
mom to Tamar and Libby
Been there, done that. The dossier looks so much worse than it really is. Most of it is just signing and notarizing. One bit of advice I have is make sure that the doctor you are using has a notary located in their office. Mine had one in the building the office was located but they gave me a really hard time with it. It was a nightmare trying to get the secretary to ask my doctor to walk down the stairs to the notary. Also, as shanna already said, it would be helpful if you have a friend or someone at work that is a notary, and cheaper. The receptionist in my building at work is a notary and had to notarize my documents twice. Once when I thought I my I171H was on it's way and then again 2 months later when we actually received our I171H and I wanted to have the most up-to-date paper work I could have.
Again, it looks worse than it really is. Good luck and since you have your I171H, the worst part is over :)
Suzette
OK--I haven't been through it, but I know YOU can do it. I'm sending you "Git 'er done" (as Andy would say) vibes. I'm thinking about you as you take this step. And it's wonderful that the I-71H went through so fast. You are now ahead of the game, timewise, on getting all these documents compiled and prepared. In the long run, everything will be ready when your daughter is ready. It will match up.
-Amanda
(probably still Beangirl, which I don't understand, but whatev)
Thank you to all of you! I think I will feel better about it today when I can print it all out and separate what I need to do from what I have to ask others to do. You were right on with the worry about the doctor - that is what I am most stressing about. Their notary is in the same building, but I am afraid it might atke forever for her to get it notarized. We'll see. I'll beg, I have no shame. I'll be calling the police station today to find out if they have the right fingerprint card. So, one step at a time, and yes, I am so lucky to have the I-71H. THANK YOU!!! I'm on it.
Oh and some advice for those going through this process now, my bank is full of notaries and it's free. I can go anytime the bank is open and get things notarized for free, usually without a wait. I'm trying to use the same notary to simplify if/when I need paperwork updated.
I agree with those that said find a friend who is a notary or ask one of your friends to become a notary. That way he/she can come with you to the doctor's office to notarize the document. I didn't do this initially but since I know I will need more documents when I travel I've had a friend become a notary.
Also, check and double check the notary stuff. Here are some potential problems to watch out for: (1) make sure they sign their name exactly as it appears on the stamp (i.e., they leave off their middle inital) it will get rejected when you go to get it apostilled (or certified if you are in a state like me that makes you do both); (2) check that they signed in the right place and put in the correct date; (3) make sure the notary's commission doesn't expire within the year. I had to have the notary at the doctor's office redo the same form 3 times but she was really nice about it (the first time she signed in the wrong place, the second time she didn't sign her full name, the third time it was correct).
Just take it one document at a time and before you know it they will all be done.
Abby
Piece of cake! ;) Okay, it takes some work, but it is doable and you can do it! Because of my delays, I have done every document at least twice, most 3 and 4 times, and if delayed much longer, will have to do them yet again!
So, my advice:
Keep it organized! Get a file system. Make copies of everything you send -- cover letters, applications/forms, FedEx tracking numbers. Draft up your "letterhead" for your cover letters -- you want to make sure all your contact info is on the letter in case there is a question.
And most importantly, do NOT assume the notary statement on the LMI template is right. 99% of the time, it is not -- it is just an example. You need to go to the Secretary of State website for each state in which you have to have something notarized and find the right language and change it on your documents. If the right language isn't on it, it will be kicked back when you try to get the apostilles.
Learn the notary "rules" that LMI sent you, print them out and repeat them often to the notary! Dates spelled out, don't stamp over anything, name must match stamp, etc.
And lastly, take multiple copies when you go to have something signed and notarized. Someone WILL make a mistake and you can just whip out another copy and do it again right then.
After the first few, the rest get easier. Good luck!
Preparing the dossier was so much easier for me than waiting. The doctor was the most stressful item for me. Check when his/her license expires because we had to wait an extra 2 or 3 weeks to get one renewed.
If I had to do it over I would have asked one of my friends to take the notary class before I started but since you have your 171H it is too late for that.
Really it isn't that bad after you are finished!!!!!!
Good Luck!
You can do this! I am not an organized person by nature and I did it. Read the rules over and over, get a binder and plastic paper organizers(don't know what they are really called). I had a checklist. I also took control and was very specific with each notary about where and how to sign. I didn't care what they thought of me, overbearing, so what! It is better to use the same notary, whose commission is good for at least a year, if possible. In my state(Ohio) you have to get a statement from the county stating the notary is for real before an apostille. I will check if this is the case for your state. Ok now...Go gettem! Shauna
Niña - esta no es la primera vez que tienes que hacer algo dificil. Eres muy organizada, e aparte, quieres esto con todo tu corazon! Hechale ganas!
YES YOU CAN!! YES YOU CAN!!
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