Love From Afar

A family's love for a child begins long before his or her first breath is taken. Our love for Paige began in September of 2004 when we signed the adoption application with Children's Hope International.

Long before Paige was born, her waiting family (Kevin, Carla, Chelsea and Haley) began to pray and prepare for her journey home. Many months, even years, have passed since the application was approved. Birth and marriage certificates were ordered. Passports renewed, seminars attended, documents notarized, certified and authenticated, all as a part of the journey to bring our baby Paige home.

As we mailed our completed dossier to CHI and then on to China in September of 2005, we began to wonder where our little Paige could be. Is she still developing in the womb of her birth mother? Is she being cared for in an orphanage? Is her little ears hearing sounds that will always remind her of her culture? How long will it take to bring her home? All of those questions, could only be answered over time.


Join us in the journey.


Friday, January 19, 2007

Immigration Paperwork Expires

Before we could submit our paperwork to China in Sept. 2005, we needed an I-171H form from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (CIS). This form is an advanced approval for allowing us to bring a foreign born child back into the United States. We received our approval on July 1, 2005 with an expiration of 18 months latter. As you may have already determined, the form expired on January 1, 2007 and since we don't have Paige yet, we needed to get it renewed.

In order to get a new I-171H form with a future expiration date, we had to get an updated home study which meant new physicals, updated references, financials, employment verifications, Department of Justice clearances, etc. With all the new paper chasing complete, we met with a Social Worker last night so she could write the home study update. If all goes as planed, we will have the new I-171H form from the CIS before we get Paige's referral.

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