Our Adoption Journey

October 2004
- Theresa said, "I think I still want to adopt a baby." Jeff said, "Let's go for it!" (That was easy!)
- Theresa called MAPS (Maine Adoption Placement Services) and signed us up to attend their informational meeting in Portland.
- We attended that meeting and were amazed to learn that most international adoptions are less expensive than domestic (within the U.S.) adoptions...and they take less time!
- We began to consider China for two reasons: it can be done within 2 years and you are guaranteed a baby.
- We wondered how we could swing a $30,000 adoption, but knew we wanted to do this and decided to find a way.
- While searching the web about Chinese adoption, Theresa ran across an agency, AmericaWorld Adoption Agency (AWAA) in Virginia. She was impressed that they are endorsed by Steven Curtis Chapman who has adopted 3 children from China through them.
- We learned that it was "only" $20,000 to adopt through AWAA, so we decided to use them for an agency.
- We sent our application, paid the application fee, and sent the State of Maine money to do a required criminal history investigation.
- AWAA informed us that China has a policy that one must be cancer-free for 18 months before they can adopt from them. Since Theresa was only 6 months out, our adoption was placed on hold. This was our our first delay.
- Theresa tried to raise some money for the adoption by getting a part-time job as the receptionist for our town hall and participating in a local craft fair.

November 2004
- We went to Cape Cod for a long weekend. Theresa had previously "met" Gina from the Cape on her gastric bypass support group on Yahoo Groups. Gina often wrote about their two daughters adopted from China. We contacted her and her husband & made a plan to meet while in Cape Cod.
We loved meeting Gina & Alan & their two daughters! The younger girl is named "Jade!"
Gina & Alan explained how the China adoption process works and showed us papers & pictures from their two trips to China.
When Gina & Alan spoke of the yearly Chinese New Year parties by their agency & the yearly reunions they have with their travel groups, we realized that it would not be possible for us to attend such events with an agency in Virginia.
- We contacted CAWLI to change agencies and learned that the cost of adoption through CAWLI was $16,000, including all of our travel, 5-star hotels, & some meals in China. (The other agencies did not include that in their cost.) If you'd like to take a look at it, CAWLI's website is www.cawli.org.
We were very impressed with CAWLI, and really liked the idea that they are owned by a Chinese woman (a former lawyer in China) and only do adoptions with China. They are a small agency with 3 employees in addition to the owner, Lillian Zhang.
- Theresa hosted a craft fair.

December 2004
- We officially signed with CAWLI to adopt a baby girl from China. We requested a healthy infant 12 months old or as young as possible.
- The Portsmouth Herald wrote an article on us. You can read it at http://www.seacoastonline.com/2004news/12102004/maine/53077.htm.
- Theresa participated in a craft fair, then hosted her second craft fair.

January 2005
- We began the homestudy process with our social worker.
- We applied for, and received, our passports.
- Theresa's doctor took way too long to send her medical report. And he did not follow the directons, so it had to be redone twice! This was our second delay.
- While having lunch at the Weathervane, we received a call on our cell phone from our agency stating that they were concerned that China might not accept a person having both cancer & depression. This was a frightening thought! We worried for 3 days!
- CAWLI had Theresa's medical report translated & sent it to the CCAA. They assured CAWLI that they would accept her after all! Whew!!

February 2005
- We drove to USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) in Portland (1 hour north) to be fingerprinted.
- We read books & watched movies with anything having to do with China. This is required by China so that we will have a fairly good knowledge of China's history & customs.

March 2005
- Our homestudy was completed!

To be continued....