Axel and Ianna: INTRODUCING

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!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

INTRODUCING

Asher Lazar Spring
^{Genesis 30:13} Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher.^[a

Asher is a tiny little man! He turned 7 in October, but is closer to the size of a typical 3 year old. I think ALL the clothes I brought are too big for him.

Now for technicalities. I'm NOT supposed to have ANY pictures of him yet! The orphanage social worker took these pictures for me, then came back and said I wasn't supposed to have them. Last year when all the problems arose around Serbian adoptions and kids photos being illegally listed on websites, they banned all picture taking of orphan children, and certainly no emailing allowed! But I nabbed these two. I just don't know if I'll be able to post any more until after I have custody of him.

I'll post more info later after I've had a nap!

9 comments:

And patiently waiting...November 22, 2011 at 7:10 AM
He is SO cute!!! Wow! Congratulations my friend!! Can't wait to hear more...have a nice nap!
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Kathie BrinkmanNovember 22, 2011 at 12:04 PM
He's a cutie! You're something else ma'am. I mean seriously, who goes to Serbia to adopt kids? Not just once, but twice! I'm proud to know you.
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OLCNovember 22, 2011 at 12:15 PM
OH MY WORD!!! He is SO CUTE!!!! CONGRATS!!! God is GOOD!!!
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UnknownNovember 22, 2011 at 12:38 PM
What a cutie! :D Is he part Roma? I have soooo many Roma cultural things thanks to having a kid that's part Roma. :)
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NanceNovember 22, 2011 at 3:48 PM
He is absolutely perfect!!! You know I have a thing for dark hair and dark eyes!
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Ellen StumboNovember 22, 2011 at 5:05 PM
He is so sweet! And he really is small! Praying for you my friend! I will try to catch you on skype.
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DeanNovember 23, 2011 at 5:17 AM
Okay, he looks more like you then me! What a handsome boy! Come on home now!!
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UnknownNovember 24, 2011 at 1:42 PM
Leah, I'm soooo glad you are there with him and will get to bring him home! I love the meaning behind his name! ;-) Bless you, my dear friend, as you go through all the process. I can so not wait for a complete "fill-in" via phone--just wish we could do it in person!!
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LinneaNovember 26, 2011 at 10:33 AM
Can't wait to see pics of him. Apparently I missed a lot. I have no idea how either. Anyways. Congrats!!!! YAY!! PTL one less!!! Now I need to catch up on all the other posts!! Be blessed

Ashlee
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