Elijah Update

For those who may not be aware, we are "expecting" and paper chasing to bring home a little brother!  Our Letter of Intent was submitted to China on Thursday, June 5 and on day 17 of the wait.   The current wait times had been moving quickly, like a day or two but since a recent soft wear update China made to the system, seems a lot of families, like ourselves are in a holding pattern. 

Our wonderful social worker made a visit yesterday to begin compiling our home study for Elijah and another child we hope to adopt from China.  As with our previous home studies, we are writing the home study for 2 children.   The home study is required for any adoption domestic or international but with an international adoption, the home study is only one of the many documents included in the dossier.  

It's been a long while (5 years) since we prepared a dossier and chased down all this paper work (paper chase) because our first dossier was written for 2 children, blessing us with Sterling and Arabella.  Now, as we continue to expand our family through the beautiful gift of adoption from China, we are back on the playing field and running around gathering all sorts of documents, files, police clearances, FBI clearances, child protective services clearance, employment letters and many others. 

Sterling is very excited about his little brother and was a bit disappointed yesterday when the social worker arrived, without his brother!  We sat the children down and explained why the social worker was coming and that it was one of the first steps toward Elijah coming home.  Well, Sterling didn't completely understand and thought she was bringing him home to us, yesterday.  Then, when Sterling woke this morning, he asked, "Mama, where is my little brother?"  I said he was still in China and it would be another year before he came home.  Next summer, little brother should be home.  Sterling replied with, "that's a long, long time.  I want to go to China today."  Me too, little buddy but we must be patient.