summer 2012 : met with multiple families who have adopted to hear their stories/experiences
10/11/12 : orientation session for agency
fall 2012 : solidified plans to move forward with adoption after our house buying process was over
3/5/13 : mailed Domestic Infant Adoption Registration packet to agency
3/27/13 : initial meeting with our family advocate at agency
March-June : paperwork gathering/form filling/educational credit earning
4/20/13 : electronic fingerprinting
4/23/13 : first home study class: talking about adoption
4/30/13 : second home study class: child interest
4/27/13 : adoption photo shoot
5/7/13 : third home study class: open adoption
5/14/13 : fourth home study class: child identity
5/14/13 : Ashley's doctor's appointment for physical
5/15/13 : telling your child their birthstory and other how-to's class
5/21/13 : fifth home study class: adoption law
5/25/13 : open house/adoption announcement!
5/30/13 : pediatrician appointment
6/6/13 : Colin's doctor's appointment for physical
6/10/13 : finished our profile book
6/14/13 : officially ready for home study visits with social worker
6/24/13 : contacted by social worker to set up home study visit
6/29/13 : first home study visit with social worker - individual interviews
7/5/13 : adoption profiles printed and assembled
7/7/13 : second home study visit with social worker - joint interview/home tour
7/8/13 : mailed profile books to agency
7/30/13 : officially home study ready/complete!!
8/19/13 : 1st profiling call/opportunity
8/23/13 : 2nd profiling call/opportunity (blind - meaning our profile was sent out before we were called about the case)
8/28/13 : 3rd profiling call/opportunity (out of state - which we were not open to at this time)
9/10/13 : second round with 1st case (we were one of the couples she had narrowed it down to but was also looking at other profiles)
9/13/13 : 4th profiling call/opportunity
9/16/13 : matched - we are chosen by prospective birthmom from our 4th call!!!
9/17/13 : match call with agency
9/23/13 : match paperwork and deposit sent in
10/1/13 : met prospective birthmom!!!
10/17/13 : baby born/placement paperwork signed
10/30/13 : profiles re-submitted to agency
early December : 5th profiling call/opportunity (we declined having our profile shown)
1/21/14 : re-submitted our grids; opened ourselves up to out of state referrals
2/12/14 : matched - we were blind profiled and chosen by a prospective birthmom!!!
2/17/14 : match failed
3/1/14 : updated Domestic Infant Adoption Registration
3/7/14 : ONE YEAR MARK
3/11/14 : 6th profiling call/opportunity
3/24/14 : updated our Statewide Central Register Database Check paperwork
4/1/14 : found out we were not chosen by birthmom from 6th call
4/9/14 : 7th profiling call/opportunity - TWINS
4/10/14 : contacted by agency - told they are running low on our profiles and need more so that we don't miss a future opportunity
4/21/14 : received Home Study renewal letter in the mail
4/22/14 : found out we were not chosen by birthmom from 7th call
4/23/14 : mailed three more profiles to agency
4/24/14 : mailed program fee and home study renewal fee to agency
4/29/14 : 8th profiling call/opportunity (we declined having our profile shown)
5/8/14 : meeting with Director of Adoption at agency
5/28/14 : mailed most of our updated paperwork to agency
5/30/14 : Colin's medical form filled out
6/4/14 : Ashley's appointment for medical form
6/8/14 : filled out new grid
6/10/14 : last of paperwork mailed to agency
6/18/14 : 9th profiling call/opportunity
6/18/14 : Waiting Families meeting
7/10/14 : 10th profiling call/opportunity (In contact with agency multiple times over course of a few days, but in the end declined having our profile shown.)
7/12/14 & 7/13/14 : Adoption Fundraiser yard sale
7/18/14 : Home study update visit
8/4/14 : found out we were not chosen by birthmom from 9th call. Also found out we had recently been blind profiled twice, but not chosen by either birthmom.
8/8/14 : 11th profiling call/opportunity. Baby born yesterday, we said yes to being considered. However, the birth father came forward and decided to parent. All of this happened in 4 hours.
[I think we hit a new record with 4 no's in 4 days...]
8/27/14 : 12th profiling call/opportunity
9/8/14 : found out we were not chosen by birthmom from 12th call
9/18/14 : 13th profiling call/opportunity. Baby was born yesterday, profiles had been sent, and we were among families the birthmom had narrowed down. We said yes to moving forward, however received a call an hour later that she chose another family.
10/2/14 : 14th profiling call/opportunity (We declined having our profile shown, in part due to finances as fees were a lot higher. Breaks my heart every time no matter what the reason.)
10/5/14 : 15th profiling call/opportunity
10/6/14 : Agency called to tell us that they only had one of our profiles left and needed more. Also reviewed ways to update it with some newer ideas.
10/14/14 : finished adoption fundraiser puzzle for Little L!
10/15/14 : 16th profiling call/opportunity. Baby born yesterday, profiles needed ASAP. We said yes to being profiled. We got a call a half an hour later that we were chosen!!
10/16/14 : Went to agency and signed paperwork, then went to the hospital and met our son!!!
10/25/14 : Little L, now known as Ephraim Jacob, was discharged from the hospital, and we finally all went home as a family of 3!!!
11/6/14 : 1st post-placement visit with social worker
11/21/14 : filled out and mailed paperwork for our adoption attorney
11/22/14 : 30-day celebration dinner - which in fact was a surprise party! Birthmom's surrender of Ephraim is now irrevocable.
12/6/14 : 2nd post-placement visit with social worker
1/3/15 : 3rd and final post-placement visit with social worker
1/18/15 : updated our Statewide Central Register Database Check paperwork
1/30/15 : met with adoption attorney and signed paperwork to be submitted to court
3/7/15 : TWO YEAR MARK
week of 3/30/15 : adoption paperwork submitted to Monroe County Court
5/28/15 : received letter from court investigator requesting copies of documents and to set up home visit
6/9/15 : home visit with court appointed investigator
6/20/15 : received bill for court investigation, sent in payment
8/5/15 : Finalization court date! Our adoption of Ephraim is official!
588 days :
from when we officially began our adoption journey to Ephraim's birth.
590 days :
from when we officially began our adoption journey to when we first met our sweet boy.
883 days :
from when we officially began our adoption journey to when we finalized as a family.
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