Timeline for our Adoption

• September 23, 2005 - Signed with Christian World Adoption
• September 30, 2005 - Greg sends Alicia a list of names he likes...our baby girl gets her name, Mari Olivia
• October 5, 2005 - Contacted Catholic Charities about our Homestudy
• October 12, 2005 - Ordered Birth Certificates and Marriage Certificate
• October 13, 2005 - Elizabeth is our witness to send our initial documents to CWA
• October 18, 2005 - Mailed application and check to CWA
• October 20, 2005 - Received access to China iplanner
• October 25, 2005 - Talked with Virginia our case manager at CWA
• December 10, 2005 - Have fingerprints taken at local police station in North Dakota
• January 25, 2006 - Find out Greg's fingerprints were good but Alicia's were not readable...just my luck!
• February 3, 2006 - Alicia has fingerprints redone
• February 7, 2006 - Alicia turns 31!
• February 16, 2006 - A new niece arrives...Lilly Kate is born!
• February 23, 2006 - Fingerprints are back and they are good! We can begin our homestudy!
• March 6, 2006 - 1st meeting with Amy our social worker for our homestudy
• March 30, 2006 - 2nd meeting with Amy
• April 3, 2006 - Go home to meet Lilly
• May 19, 2006 - 3rd and final homestudy visit, this time at our house
• June 16, 2006 - Greg turns 31! Happy Birthday!
• June 19, 2006 - Multicultural Families training in Fargo, ND required for homestudy
• June 20, 2006 - Alicia has Physical and lab work
• June 27, 2006 - Had passport photo taken and applied for passport...Happy Birthday Heather!
• June 21, 2006 - Mailed our I-600 to USCIS (this form is asking for permission to adopt a foreign born child)
• June 28, 2006 - Received 1-600 back with our FBI clearance appointment date
• July 3, 2006 - Greg has physical and lab work
• July 9, 2006 - We celebrate our 12 year Anniversary!
• July 11, 2006 - Went to Fargo to have FBI fingerprints done
• July 17, 2006 - Our Homestudy is finalized
• August 4-10, 2006 - Went on vacation to see Alicia's parents
• August 12, 2006 - Waiting in the mail was our much anticipated I-171H today! (This form is from the Department of Homeland Security it gives us permission to adopt a foreign born child) Also in the mail are our passports.
• August 14, 2006 - We had our documents Authenticated in Bismarck, ND by the Secretary of State
• August 17, 2006 - Fedex'd our dossier to a courier in Washington D. C. she will take them to the United States Department of State and then to the Chinese Consulate
• August 24, 2006 - FedEx'd our Dossier to CWA!!! All our paperwork is done...it took forever it seems!
• August 25, 2006 - Virginia received our Dossier
• August 31, 2006 - Dossier to China (DTC)
• September 22, 2006 - We have a LID (this is the date that we entered into China's system. All referrals are based on this date!) We are officially "Paper Pregnant"!
• September 29, 2006 - Greg received a promotion...we will be moving to Houston, TX!!
• October 22, 2006 - Received a beautiful dress for Mari from CWA
• November 1, 2006 - Greg leaves for Houston, TX
• November 12, 2006 - Alicia leaves Minot, ND for Houston, TX
• December 4, 2006 - Sold our home in North Dakota
• December 8, 2006 - Bought our new home in Texas!
• December 12, 2006 - Move into our new home...there is no place like home!