March 24, 2017

Yes, Jim and I are still actually adopting! Adoption is a LONG process! As most of you know our adoption was slowed when Jim took a job as a full time college coach at Ottawa University in Kansas. We recently updated our home study and gained immigration approval! After talking with our social worker at All God's Children today, we learned that our paperwork is in Pierre's hands in Burundi. That means he's working on the translation of the documents in hopes to be ready for the next committee meeting! So what are the next steps? How much longer? Here is what we found out today:

The Central Authority, committee that meets to place eligible children for adoption, meets quarterly. During that meeting, the committee looks over the paperwork of all waiting families and places them accordingly with eligible children. Not certain how many referrals are made during each meeting. Families have waited as little as 3 months, but as long as 15 months to be placed with a child. Once you are placed with a child, you are allowed to send gifts and pictures to him/her. It's currently taking 10 months from referral acceptance to travel, they are hoping to see that drop to 6 months. So basically our home study is in the hands of the Central Authority. We just have to patiently wait for them to match us with the perfect little guy or girl! The patient part is way easier said then done (ask Jim how crazy I've been driving him and the wait is really just beginning). We are hoping 2.5 years is the max amount of time we'll have to wait, but as our social worker stated today, the time frames are really just estimates. They (All God's Child) has no say in the speed of the process. They are in communication with Pierre daily receiving updates!

Pros- This gives us relief and plenty of time to continue to pay off the money we borrowed to make the 2nd payment, save for the 3rd and final payment, as well we save for our trip!

Cons- The wait!

What can you do? If you're the praying kind, please pray for our patience through this process to know that it's really in his timing. God will ensure we get placed with the most beautiful and perfect little guy or gal when the time is right!


You have no idea how much we LOVE and APPRECIATE each of you! A lot has happened in the past year and a half, but we know not only is our marriage stronger, but we're ready to be parents!


                   LOVE,
             Jim and Kelly