Home Study... WOW.. what an experience
First of all after we decided on using All Blessings (ABI) they send us a few emails to fill out and fax or mail them back.. NO big deal a few pages about 10 questions.. I thought wow this is a piece of cake. Little did I know the best was yet to come. One of the ladies from ABI sent me an email and said we had been accepted and we would get started with the home study and they would send me a packet in the mail, I should read and fill out paperwork and mail back. I asked why not email (I don’t loose stuff when its email LOL) she said well its a little to much to email. I knew I was in for it then.
A few days later the package arrived in the mail, about the size of a 5 star notebook, typed, front and back about size 10 font. We had to read it and fill out the paperwork and send in as much as possible. I had to send stuff off for background checks, State Police, Federal Police, FBI.. you name it we got it. We had to take the dog to the Vet, have him checked and a paper signed by the vet, we had to get 4 people to fill out a page about me and Jonathan, about our parenting skills. IT was CRAZY.. I know you have to do this because of crazy people out there but WOW.
After we got the paperwork done we had to go to Owensboro, Ky., and have our first Home study meeting, it lasted about 3 hours and the lady was very nice. She then gave us another book a little thicker than the first that was mailed to us to read (front and back size 10 font). I don’t think I read this much in school. We were send home with a list of things that had to be done to the house. Child locks on cabinets containing cleaning supplies, meds locked up, fire extinguishers (up stairs and down), carbon monoxide detectors (up stairs and down), and of course we had to clean, clean, clean. She said that was not part of it, but I didn’t want someone to come into the house and check out every nook and cranny with out it being spotless. So we worked and worked on the house and getting all ready for her to come do the “HOME” part. She was there four like 4 hours, talked to Caleb alone, Jonathan alone and me alone, then went through the house. Then she said “Well all looks good”... woo hoo. The home study now is ready to be typed out and ready for approval... woo hoo.
Now we have to complete a 10 hour on line course.. WOOO and more paper work...(I don’t think that will ever end) and we have to have some blood work done and a physical, fingerprinting and who knows whats next....
I’ll keep you all posted on the next step we make and fill you in on our next Haiti adventures.
Michelle.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Agency or NOT?
Hello again.
This blog is about Agency or NOT?
After our family knew we were to adopt these children from Haiti the next step came with research, research, research!!! It seemed like every waking moment I spent on the computer trying to find out everything about international adoption and how to do it. I spoke with several people and some said to use an Agency, some said DON’T use an Agency! I found out right away there were pro’s and con’s with both methods. I started doing research on different agency’s, their success rate and the big question the $$$. Jonathan and I had then decided we were going to do this adoption as an independent adoption with NO agency.
Rebecca the wonderful lady who hosted us in my first trip to Haiti had also adopted several Haitian boys and was confident we could do this with her help. It seemed everyone Jonathan and I ran into for the next several weeks following that either were from Haiti or knew someone who had adopted internationally. It was crazy.
Well Jonathan and I just knew this was the way we should go “Independent” well that was until I contacted a local Adoption agency and began speaking with them about getting our Home Study done. You see the home study is the first step you have to take to begin your adoption. Haiti changed their laws since the earthquake and it is harder to adopt now and the chances of being successful with an Independent adoption are slim to none. But we still felt this was the way for us to go. So I signed on with this Adoption Agency to only do our Home Study and filled out some paper work and when they found out we were independent they would not even do our Home Study, they said the success rate was way to slim and their goal is to get these kids home.
Jonathan and I had a lot of praying to do and try to figure out what we should do. Going through an agency was going to cost a lot more $$ however getting our kids home was way more important than that. We had also met a family in BG who had adopted 3 children from Haiti (Independent) and it took them 5 years. I CAN NOT wait 5 years that would kill me!! So this my friends is how we decided to use the Adoption Agency “All Blessing International” out of Owensboro, Ky. So far they have been great!
My next blog will be about the “Home Study”
Thanks and God Bless,
Michelle
This blog is about Agency or NOT?
After our family knew we were to adopt these children from Haiti the next step came with research, research, research!!! It seemed like every waking moment I spent on the computer trying to find out everything about international adoption and how to do it. I spoke with several people and some said to use an Agency, some said DON’T use an Agency! I found out right away there were pro’s and con’s with both methods. I started doing research on different agency’s, their success rate and the big question the $$$. Jonathan and I had then decided we were going to do this adoption as an independent adoption with NO agency.
Rebecca the wonderful lady who hosted us in my first trip to Haiti had also adopted several Haitian boys and was confident we could do this with her help. It seemed everyone Jonathan and I ran into for the next several weeks following that either were from Haiti or knew someone who had adopted internationally. It was crazy.
Well Jonathan and I just knew this was the way we should go “Independent” well that was until I contacted a local Adoption agency and began speaking with them about getting our Home Study done. You see the home study is the first step you have to take to begin your adoption. Haiti changed their laws since the earthquake and it is harder to adopt now and the chances of being successful with an Independent adoption are slim to none. But we still felt this was the way for us to go. So I signed on with this Adoption Agency to only do our Home Study and filled out some paper work and when they found out we were independent they would not even do our Home Study, they said the success rate was way to slim and their goal is to get these kids home.
Jonathan and I had a lot of praying to do and try to figure out what we should do. Going through an agency was going to cost a lot more $$ however getting our kids home was way more important than that. We had also met a family in BG who had adopted 3 children from Haiti (Independent) and it took them 5 years. I CAN NOT wait 5 years that would kill me!! So this my friends is how we decided to use the Adoption Agency “All Blessing International” out of Owensboro, Ky. So far they have been great!
My next blog will be about the “Home Study”
Thanks and God Bless,
Michelle
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
How it began
Hello, my name is Michelle Carver, I have been married for 24 years and have 2 children, Sasha 22 and Caleb 18. After the earthquake in Haiti I felt I should go and help in any way I could. I felt that is what God told me to do.
After talking with a friend of mine she had the same feelings and we were then on our quest to go to Haiti. We ran into some difficulties, but we made it. Little did I know when I went to Haiti I would not only fall in love with the country and all the people in it I would fall in Love with a beautiful young man and little girl. Their names are Kerby (11) and Kerlandy (7). From the first day when Kerby and I became great friends I knew it was something special. I text Jonathan a Pic of Kerby that night and he asked me if that was his son.. Little did he know. God had big plans for that little boy and little girl. I got to spend several days with with the children, and went to several other orphanages and even though I didn't go to Haiti looking to extend our family, those kids found me and I have not been able to get them out of my mind for even a min. every since.
When I came home and talked to my husband and children we all knew this was God for us to adopt these kids, they also have an older brother Blondy, I'm not sure how old he is, however I would love to Adopt him too if he is young enough to do so and If we can raise enough money to get him too. I never knew adoption cost so much money. It's really not fair, Our family has to much to offer them and we have to much love and care to give them, but I know GOD will provide the money to us to be able to adopt.
We have started the adoption process (thanks to my parents and family for their help) in my next blog I will start telling about the whole process.. ITS CRAZY.
Love, Michelle
After talking with a friend of mine she had the same feelings and we were then on our quest to go to Haiti. We ran into some difficulties, but we made it. Little did I know when I went to Haiti I would not only fall in love with the country and all the people in it I would fall in Love with a beautiful young man and little girl. Their names are Kerby (11) and Kerlandy (7). From the first day when Kerby and I became great friends I knew it was something special. I text Jonathan a Pic of Kerby that night and he asked me if that was his son.. Little did he know. God had big plans for that little boy and little girl. I got to spend several days with with the children, and went to several other orphanages and even though I didn't go to Haiti looking to extend our family, those kids found me and I have not been able to get them out of my mind for even a min. every since.
When I came home and talked to my husband and children we all knew this was God for us to adopt these kids, they also have an older brother Blondy, I'm not sure how old he is, however I would love to Adopt him too if he is young enough to do so and If we can raise enough money to get him too. I never knew adoption cost so much money. It's really not fair, Our family has to much to offer them and we have to much love and care to give them, but I know GOD will provide the money to us to be able to adopt.
We have started the adoption process (thanks to my parents and family for their help) in my next blog I will start telling about the whole process.. ITS CRAZY.
Love, Michelle
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