Updates & News
3/15/04

Referrals are fast approaching! Just last week, referrals came out for people who were DTC in June 2003 and through July 20th 2003. July 20th is awfully close to my DTC date of September 9th! My referral will probably not come in the next batch, but in the batch after that. Hopefully May, but mabye June -- and travel a month later.

Updates have been made to:

the timeline page
the names page
the packing list
the bookmarks page
a new adoption abbreviations' page
10/23/03 I've found out that I'm officially DTC (dossier-to-China). My dossire was logged into the CCAA on 9/9/2003.
10/19/03

Its not adoption related, but pictures of my new doggy are available. She is a 2 1/2 year old English Setter name Bailey. Her favorite, and only, past time is running giant circles in the backyard.
Updates to the following pages:

the names page
a new checklist for travel off of the checklists page
the bookmarks page
the timeline page
this addition of a link to the Sept2003DTC web pages to this page
9/8/03 My dossier arrived in China. It should be officially "logged in" by the CCAA in September (probably before 9/18/2003).
8/3/03

BCIS received the homestudy on 7/1. On 7/25 I received my I171H -- "It has been determined that you are able to furnish proper care to an orphan or orphans as defined in Section 101 (B)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act." Yeah! My final dossier documents and authentication checks will reach Nancy, my HAPS program coordinator, on Monday, 8/4. It should be about a month to complete the authentication and then the documents are off to China!
Lots of updates:

the names page
some of the checklists (3 out of 4 are complete!)
the bookmarks page
the timeline page
6/28/03 I popped the final copy of my homestudy (error free) in the mail to BCIS today. The countdown to being DTC is really on, now. This week I'm going to finalize the other dossier documents and get them to the China program director of my agency so that we are ready to roll with authenticating them all when the I171H arrives from BCIS (assuming they are willing to approve me!).
I updated the photo album. This is the final cut.
I modified the names page a litle bit, but no new names. :-)
I updated some of the checklists.
I update the bookmarks.
6/26/03

Referrals and travel approvals started coming in from China again, the postponements due to SARS are over. Rumors started flying in the morning and by the afternoon, people were announcing their referrals. It looks like families that were DTC (dossier-to-China) on April and May of 2002 are getting referrals this week. It appears that those families DTC June and July of 2002 will get their referrals by the middle of July.

It was a very exciting day -- I love referral weeks, because I get to watch all the joyful parents announce their matches to the email lists.
6/24/03 There were some errors in the homestudy we are working through, but I should get final, final copy this week, I hope.
Updated the timeline page.
Updated the checklists.
Updated the bookmarks.
Updated the timeline page.
--> Updated the photo album <-- Check this one out!
Created an updates page to store the old announcements.
6/11/03

Updated the timeline. Rachael's state background check came in today, the same day they recieved my letter of reference from my employer, and they are writing the final copy of the homestudy. I should have my copies by Monday the 16th. This means I'm clear to apply to my agency to participate in the China program -- I'll also send the homestudy off to BCIS and should get the I-171-H by 8/1/2003.
6/2/03

Updated the main page with links to travel stories.
Added my email address to all pages.
The names - Added Cherie as a possibility.
Checklist - updated the homestudy checklist because my background checks came back.
Bookmarks - Addition to the China area - China through a Lens.
5/29/03 The timeline - Amy's background checks are in and the office is writing the final copy of the homestudy in anticipation of Rachael's checks.

Last updated on March 15, 2004
Get in touch with Amy.