**Classes and Chaos** October 29, 2008

We attended our (PAC) Adoption Classes on 10/16 – 10/17/08.  I was delightfully surprised that they were not anywhere near as negative as the MN Waiting Child Classes were.   They did cover a lot of the same information in the classes we attended previously.  They didn’t cover anything about traveling with your child and bringing your child through customs as I was told they would cover.  They said that was the reason we needed to retake them as we missed this important piece of information.   I thought it was odd this never came up, but whatever we need to do to get through this process we will do. 

On a plus side, we got to meet with Olga (The Peru & Colombia country specialist) for a private visit to discuss our adoption plans, hopes and expectations.  We met with her for about an hour.  Olga is a wonderful patient woman to listen to Jason and I ask similiar questions multiple ways.  

After discussing what type of adoption experience and child we wish to adopt, Olga strongly suggested we switch over to the Colombia program.  Since we are still young (hehe.. I don’t feel like it) we could adopt a Toddler from this program much easier and a bit faster than adopting children from the Peru program.    The cost will be more but varies greatly so it’s hard to pin point and exact amount.  It will most likely be at least $5K more than Peru. BUT… We should have a toddler from Colombia w/in 3 years from now.  With Peru’s program we could have a child(ren) over 5 years old within 3-4 years from now. 

THREE years is a LONG TIME… but we can wait.  The next year will be all about completing our homestudy and getting our I-800a completed then getting our Dossier completed and approved by Colombia.  This process should take about a year to complete.  Then there is an approximate 24 month wait.  After the 24 months we receive and accept our referral and travel to Colombia within 1-2 weeks.. to meet and adopt our child.  We will stay in Colombia somewhere between 4-8 weeks.

The process is very similiar to Peru, but Colombia isn’t as picky as Peru… Making it a much easier program to get through.  Also, in Colombia they have government run orphanges and Maternity homes that are privately run.  The Maternity homes are a bit more expensive, but you are only required to stay 4 weeks in country, and the birth mothers live there while they are pregnant, give birth, then receive care and education after they give birth. 

So, we may get to know a lot more about our child’s history and birth family going this route.   We would request a child under 3 years old.   The more we can tell our children about their past the better it is for our children. 

So the answer to when will be have our children is estimated as December 2011.  We should arrive home with a child or two around then. 

So we will be planning on having a chaotic Christmas in 2011 and an amazing new year for 2012!

**subscribe to this blog** October 10, 2008

I tried updating in the fields to the right… but it doesn’t look like it is working.

In theory, if you subscribe to this blog – it will email you when I do a new post… So that way you can hear about all the wonderful little blabbles I do over the next couple years.. . YEAH!

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***Back to the Classroom – let the fun and games continue! October 10, 2008

So we go back to adoption classes next week.  {10/16 – 10/17}  They are all day classes which will talk about the international adoption process, bringing your child(ren) through customs, raising children of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.   I feel like we have already been through most of this but CHSFS says the classes have more and different information.  So, it’s required and could be helpful…  So we go.  The more knowledge the better right?

When we previously took classes the classroom was setup similiar to this.  So it should be rather similiar.  The class on 10/17 goes from about noon to 8:30pm and the class on 10/18 is from 8am-5pm.. (but since we are adopting from such a small program, PERU, they don’t have a country class about it – which means we can arrive late at 11:30am)  

We received our first large bill for adoption. 

$ 2 , 4 0 0

I should just call them and pay it today, but I hate to spend $2400 in the middle of this economic crisis.  Even though I know it’s not, it seems just silly to spend so much money on something we won’t physically be able to complete for 2-3 years.   I think the media has just programed us all to be so scared now with how we spend our money. Rightfully SO…

Even though this is completely just, I guess it’s scary when you start shelling out the real money.  So far we have only paid $545 plus some random small fees for fingerprinting, certified copies of marriage certificates and whatnots. 

It’s time to let the real fun begin! 

**Craft Fair** October 7, 2008

I signed up for three craft fairs in November.  The first one is November 1st!

 

My house looks like a tornado hit it with a craft store.   Glitter, paint, beads, and fabric everywhere!  It’s a wonderful mess.

So far my booth will have the following:

Christmas bulbs – decorated in various ways. {Jason made an amazing mosaic bulb but it took him about 20 hours.  It’s beautiful but we haven’t found a way to mass produce these yet.  And to sell the one he made for even $20 hardly seems worth his time and effort.}

Bracelets, necklaces, and possibly earrings.

Fun baby onesies with images/sayings

Bath salts – several types and sizes (will be great stocking stuffers to main gifts!)  I even made a Coffee one.  That was the hardest, but it smells great!

I don’t expect to become rich crafting, although I wish I could.  I am hoping to earn some money to help pay for some of our adoption expenses.  Every night and weekend for the last three weeks I have been crafting.  Some projects that I thought would work didn’t and other things I tried did work.

I am still working on a couple more idea that include but are not limited to:

Pet beds (dogs or cats under 25lbs)

Doggie Bandana’s – I got making them down but making several sizes that will work for people I haven’t figured out yet.  I can make them for large dogs (since I have one I know how it works).  I have to size Milo my mom’s Lhasa Alpso for an alternate size.  (still working this all out)

I’m just really hoping that it’s not a complete bust.  The first one is in Eden Prairie and sounds like a large show.   I’ve never sold my crafts before, I sold jewelry to random people and coworkers by word of mouth about 10+ years ago… But much has changed since then.

I initially wanted fall crafts too, but just didn’t find the right projects for them.  So we might be just a Xmas decoration and gift booth.   Which would be fine if I end up doing more shows in DECEMBER.