Our Adoption timeline

In case anybody is tracking how long it is\will take us to finally bring Meidyn home here it goes

May 17, 2006 Sent application to Childrens Hope International
June 8, 2006 Childrens Hope accepts us and we officially begin our "paperchase"
(this is where we gather specific documents required by China and then have them notarized, certified and then authenticated)
June 12, 2006 Request background checks from local police. Took a total of 2 weeks to finally get notarized copies.
June 19,2006 1st Official home study visit
June 30, 2006 Doctors appointment for medical form to be completed
Sent application for Chris's passport (expedited)
July 11, 2006 2nd doctors appointment to complete tests
July 12, 2006 Sent application i-600 requesting permission to adopt an orphan
July 13, 2006 2nd Official home study visit
July 15, 2006 Passport application denied, requested additional information UGHH
July 17, 2006 received Chris's medical form, after 2 attempts
July 18, 2006 received Deannas medical form, after 3 weeks. Notice it is filled out incorrectly. Need to start over
July 22, 2006 Scheduled to have fingerprinting done to receive clearance to adopt
July 27, 2006 Final Home Study visit scheduled.....

All of this, in addition to other paperwork not mentioned but easily attained, will then need to be certified by secreatary of state and then Authenticated by Chinese consulate. It will then be prepared into official dossier and translated into Chinese and then sent to China.

We had hoped to be DTC "dossier to China" by August 9, 2006 but doubt that will happen with recent hold ups. We are now optimistic for September DTC

After our dossier reaches China we will receive a LID "log in date", this will begin our official wait. The current wait time is 12-13 months but it is expected to increase. When we finally received our referral for our daughter we will hopefully travel within 2 months. Wow, seems like a long time off. Lets hope it speeds up

More slow downs

It seems that we take one step forward and three steps back. I have been working on getting our medical forms from our doctors for 3 weeks. I finally got mine back today but it was filled out incorrectly. I will be going back tomorrow to beg for them to redo it (while I'm there), I think I'll bring cookies with me to bribe them. On a brighter side, we have our fingerprinting apppointment this Saturday! Finally making some headway. It seems every step we need to make takes us about 3 weeks to complete. At this rate, and with the rumors of China's wait time increasing. We should be bringing Meidyn home in 2013!

Is her name really going to be MEIDYN?

No...at least I don't think so. This was a name my husband came up with as a joke and of course I fell in love with it. Its unique and has Mei in it which is Chinese in origin but it will not be her name. It will give children (and adults) too much to work with as far as teasing ie: "Made in China". The truth is...I can't adopt enough children to use all of the names that I like. In the end I will pick a few of my favorites(just like I did with my son) and have my husband pick the name. For now, it is Meidyn or Mei Mei or Christians baby sister.