Adoption Timelines

Adoption #2:

June 2011: Made the decision to start a second adoption

August 2011: Mailed Home Study Application

September 4, 2011:  Official Homestudy Meeting

September 22, 2011:  Mailed Final Homestudy to USCIS

October 12, 2011: USCIS re-fingerprinting

October 22, 2011: USCIS APPROVAL

December 10, 2011: Home Study Update

December 10, 2011: reached the $7600 mark in order to mail dossier.

January 7, 2012:  Dossier turned in

February 6, 2012: Dossier received at West Sands office in Ethiopia


February 28, 2012:  Decided to accept an HIV+ child


March 2, 2012:  REFERRAL for Cherenet

April 4, 2012: Filed for Court

April 11, 2012: Received our Court Date for May 9

April 19, 2012: Preliminary Court Hearing


May 3, 2012: Depart for Ethiopia


May 5, 2012: Meet Chernet for the 1st time!


May 9, 2012: Court



Tedi's Adopton:

July 2009: randomly met Paul Maynard and learned of his adoptions

October 2009: Began considering Ethiopian adoptions

November 6, 2009: attended Arise Adoption's info meeting and confirmed our decision to adopt from Ethiopia

November 10, 2009: Mailed Arise Application

November 15, 2009: Began Christmas Ornament Sale!

November 30, 2009: Opened our adoption checking account and we were able to deposit $1400 strictly from ornament sales

December 4, 2009: Home Study Application Mailed

December 9, 2009: Mailed $1000 for second/final home study fee and 399 Ornaments SOLD

December 14, 2009: Able to Mail $4400 for our first set of adoption agency fees; 460 Ornaments SOLD

December 17, 2009: Received Dossier packet and began putting together dossier documents; 470 Ornaments SOLD

December 19, 2009: First Christmas gift for Baby Henderson, a teddy bear from my mom

December 27, 2009: Individual Home Study Interviews; 508 Ornaments Sold

December 29, 2009: I-600A mailed; 518 Ornaments Sold

January 9, 2010: Second Home Study Visit; Dossier complete other than finalized home study.

January 11, 2009: CIS Receipt

January 22-23, 2010: Adoption education seminar

January 23, 2010: Received unofficial info on a potential referral for Tedi


January 30, 2010: Reviewed Home Study

February 9, 2010: Official Home Study Completed

February 12, 2010: USCIS Fingerprinting Appointment

February 12, 2010: Jefferson Co Seal on HomeStudy

February 12, 2010: State of KY Seal on Dossier docs

February 12, 2010: Official Dossier mailed to Arise

February 16, 2010: Mailed $3000 Dossier translation fee

February 13, 2010: 270 T-Shirts SOLD

February 18, 2010: Dossier mailed from Arise to Washington, D.C.

February 22, 2010: Grant applications mailed (& Natalie's 27th birthday)

February 25, 2010: Dossier shipped from Washington, D.C. to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

February 26-27, 2010: Adopted for Life Conference in Louisville, KY

February 27, 2010: >325 T-Shirts sold

February 28, 2010: Dossier arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

March 18, 2010: Found out Natalie matched at the University of Lousiville Pediatric residency

March 19, 2010: Notified of matching grant from Lifesong for orphans

March 22, 2010: Learned court papers are filed and continue waiting for a court date

April 1, 2010: I-797C arrived (permission to bring an international orphan into the United States)

April 9, 2010: notified by our agency that they WILL NOT give us our court, but only tell us when we pass... still waiting to pass

April 18, 2010: Fundraising Cookout...$1100 raised

May 10, 2010: PASSED COURT


June 8, 2010: Confirmed Embassy Date and booked Travel

June 25, 2010: JT leaves for Ethiopia

July 1, 2010: Embassy Appointment in Addis Ababa

July 3, 2010: JT and TEDI are home: GOTCHA DAY