Axel and Ianna: Welcome

J's Adoption Timeline

9/5/13 Made inquiry

No match available.

12/23/13 received info on J

12/24/13 Received pre-approval for J

12/31/13 Accepted referral

1/2/14 Homestudy started

1/13/14 Homestudy complete

1/15/14 Dossier complete

1/15/14 Appostilles

1/15/14 Dossier shipped!

1/15/14 USCIS submitted

2/6/14 USCIS approval

2/27/14 Arrive in Serbia!

3/3/14 Ministry meeting

3/4/14 Met Audrey!

3/6/14 Custody of Audrey

3/11/14 Final report submitted for

Minster approval

3/13/14 Ministry Signature

3/14/14 Adoption Ceremony

3/14/14 birth certificate, passport

citizenship papers complete.

3/17/14 passport picked up

3/17/14 translated documents received

3/17/14 Medical complete

3/18/14 VISA complete

3/19/14 We are HOME!

Abel's Adoption Costs

Items in black are paid in full

Items in red are left to pay

Homestudy application...$150

Homestudy update...Pd $1900

Background check...$210

Fingerprints...$30

Birth Certificate....$150

USCIS fingerprints...$890

Passport...$123

Apostille...$50

FedEx...$100

COCI deposit...$1000

COCI daily per-diem...$850

In-country translation fee...$350

Lodging...$570

in-country transportation...$300

birth certificate...$30

Visa...$275

Passport...$50

Medical...$100

Food/expenses...$600

Airfare...$3870

.......................................................

Total..............$ 11,598

Abel's Timeline

9/1/12: Requested information from Serbia for children who meet our criteria.

10/1/12: Ministry is adding new children, we must wait.

11/1/12: Informed there are no children who meet our criteria, we must wait.

12/11/12: Review files of four children

12/13/12: Agonized over decision

12/13/12: Accepted referral for boy.

12/17/12: Learned his name is "B"!

1/4/13: Homestudy started

1/18/13 Indefinite wait begins for Adam Walsh background checks to come back!

2/10/13 Homestudy complete except

for Adam Walsh background checks.

2/22/13 Homestudy complete!

4/3/13 USCIS approval

4/11/13 Arrived in Serbia

4/12/13 Met B for the first time!

4/17/13 Report submitted for Minister approval

4/23/13 SIGNATURE received!

4/24/13 Adoption finalized in Sid

4/24/13 New birth Certificate (Belgrade)

4/24/13 New Certificate of Citizenship (Belgrade)

4/24/13 Passport/Visa pictures (Belgrade)

4/25/13 Passport ordered (Sid)

4/26/13 pick up translated documents, pick up extra copy of birth certificate, pick up passport, medical appointment, embassy appointment, VISA COMPLETE!

4/27/13 FLYING HOME!!

Asher's adoption timeline

4/25/11 ...Homestudy updated

5/9/11...Homestudy submitted

(Serbia requires one year between

adoptions so it's gonna be awhile

before move forward with #2)

6/1/11...Verified Ianna is not available

9/27/11..received referrals to review for several

Serbian children

10/28/11 ...requested additional

information on two children

10/31/11 information received

11/1/11..made decision on child

11/2/11 Formally req. 7 yo boy

initial "L" from Serbia.

11/9/11 Serb officials inform us that

Dossier has been received by Social Center

responsible for L's care for review.

11/15/11 Learned his name is Lazar!

11/15/11 Flights booked!

11/19/11 Arrived in Belgrade

11/22/11 Met Asher for the first time!

11/29/11 Positive report submitted

to Ministry

12/2/11 MINISTER'S SIGNATURE

12/5/11 Adoption finalized in

Kragujevac, Serbia!

12/5/11 new birth certificate

12/5/11 order passport

12/7/11 receive translated

post-adoption documents

12/7/11 passport in hand

12/7/11 Visa medical complete

12/7/11 Embassy appointment

12/8/11 Visa in hand!

12/9/11 GOING HOME!

Cost of Axel's adoption (2010)

Homestudy App. Fee.... $150

Background check......... $210

Fingerprints....................$ 50

Birth Certificates........... $150

USCIS fingerprints........$830

Homestudy .................. $2400

Passport............................$123

Apostille............................$50

RR Commitment.............$275

Agency Fee....................$2000

FedEx................................$100

Translation Fee...............$900

Airfare............................$1700

Ticket change fee...........$463

Facilitation fee.............$6500

Hotel..............................$1028

Visa/passport.................$500

medical.............................$100

Food/expenses.............$1000

___________________

Total .......................$18,529

Axel's adoption timeline

4/7/10 Met Ianna for first time.

4/8/10 Met Axel for first time

4/13/10 Publicly committed to adopting on the local news!

4/26/10 Filled out preliminary application with agency

4/26/10 Contacted homestudy agency

5/4/10 Application to Adoption Agency accepted

7/26/10 family profile sent to country of adoption

7/26/10 fingerprints completed

7/27/10 Application to homestudy agency

7/27/10 Background study submitted

8/13/10 Background studies complete

9/2/10 USCIS Request mailed

9/13/10 Homestudy class complete

10/7/10 Homestudy complete

10/7/10 Homestudy enroute to USCIS!

10/11/10 Made formal request

for Axel

10/14/10 Dossier complete!

10/21/10 Dossier enroute to Eastern Europe!

10/26/10 Fingerprints complete

10/26/10 Dossier Arrives in Country

11/1/10 Dossier Submitted!

11/3/10 USCIS Approval

11/5/10 Travel dates confirmed

11/8/10 Flight booked!

11/12/10 I-171h received

11/28/10 boarded the plane!

12/1/10 Meeting with Officials

in country

12/1/10 Reunited with Axel!

12/3/10 physical custody of Axel

12/9/10 Adoption Finalized in Kragujevac, Serbia!

12/13/10 Passport in hand

12/13/10 Visa medical complete

12/13/10 Embassy appointment

12/14/10 Visa in hand!

12/15/10 On a plane home!

12/15/10 Axel is HOME!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Welcome

I'm just getting this blog set up to keep a written and photographic record of Ianna's journey home. For now, until I have permission to do so, there will be no pictures of Ianna here. Soon-very soon I hope-there will be pictures.

Several people have asked how to pronounced this name. I suppose we could have chosen a name that was more common, that everyone knew how to pronounce, but that would be far too easy. Besides, God gave us THIS name! It means "Beautiful flower", and that is indeed what Ianna is.

It's pronounced "I ah nuh". I was sure Angela would be able to say this, since it's a bit like Hawaii and almost all vowels! LOL She can't say her own name very clearly, so it's important we pick a name she can say. Yeah..well..apparently that's not in God's plan either. So we're working on it, and hopefully by the time Ianna comes home sometime next winter, Angela will be able to say it.

5 comments:

Kim @ Kim and MikeyApril 28, 2010 at 2:21 PM
I am so excited for you and your family as you begin this journey. I have added Ianna's name to my prayer journal and will be praying dilligently for you and your family during this time.
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junglemamaApril 28, 2010 at 2:47 PM
Woo-hooo! So I tak eit she is from Bulgaria? Oh I am so happy for you Leah!
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Karien PrinlsooApril 28, 2010 at 3:07 PM
I'm so excited to follow your journey, and see how this story unfolds. It is a beautiful, beautiful name. Somehow, when YOU do something, it feels to me that you also give other's the strength to follow, so I hope your journey, will encourage many others to do the same! I'll be praying.
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CharissaApril 28, 2010 at 3:55 PM
What??? How did I miss this news until just now? More details please. Is Ianna also known as Mara, by any chance?
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KariApril 28, 2010 at 9:29 PM
doing the happy dance here in California for you!!! Looking forward to following your journey and watching you all become a family.
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