Where we are at in the process

I think the two questions that are the most common are:

1. So what's new, what have you heard?
2. How much is this going to cost you guys?  (I'll do a separate blog post on this later this week.)

So, back to question #1,  :)  Here is a list of the "steps" we will go through before bringing him home.  Each one checked off is celebrated!!! (and marked in blue)

• Apply with the placing agency  -  Done Feb of 2015
• Apply with the Home Study Agency - Done Feb 2015
• Submit commitment paperwork to Bulgaria asking for permission to pursue the adoption of our little guy. - Done Feb 2015
• 1st Home Study Visit - March 7th
• 2nd Home Study Visit - March 23rd
• 3rd Home Study Visit - April 4th
• 4th and FINAL Home Study Visit
• Request back ground checks in all states we've lived.
• Get FBI and State level fingerprints.  Request our passports.
• Medical Appointments for us.
• Submit Home Study to placement agency for review. Once placement agency okay's it send it off to DCFS IL for them to approve. (this can take over a month) IL is one of the few states that requires this. Aren't we so lucky?!?!
• Gather all Dossier paperwork so that it is ready to go to Bulgaria once Home Study final draft is received.  (working on this now)
• I-800a application can be completed once we have the home study done.
• Wait, Wait, Wait this part can take up to 90 days
• Give our case worker all of our paperwork to send to Bulgaria once we have I-800a approval. She will send off and it will be translated in country.
• It will be translated, authenticated, and registered with the MOJ (Ministry of Justice)
• Wait more
• Receive our invitation to go on trip #1
• Come home and wait. While we are waiting between trip 1 and trip 2 we are completing more paperwork, and updating fingerprints and medical clearances. In Bulgaria they are processing his adoption. The time between these two trips can vary but generally is 4-6 months.
• Trip 2 Go Get Our Boy!!!!!!!!

There are a lost of things that will happen during all of these steps and I'll blog more about them when we are actually on those steps. Honestly it's all a bit confusing to me and I'll understand better when we are going through that part of the process much more and be able to explain it better.

Currently we are between home study visit # 3 and # 4. We have to wait til Nate's clearances come back for California, and both of our clearances come back from North Carolina. We are also waiting on our FBI and State fingerprints to be electronically sent to our home study agency. Once this stuff comes in, she can write up the draft to be sent to our placing agency for review.