Details on the Adoption Timeline

In the past week, since becoming a part of an online support group for families adopting from the Philippines, I have learned some information regarding where we are at in the process. It is very helpful to know a little more about how this process works.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I learned that approved applications are made available for consideration in groups, based on the approval date. For example, applications approved in a certain time period will be made available for matching with children. Prospective parents where there is any Filipino heritage are considered first within that group. When most of these are matched, they look at the rest of the applications approved in that time period. I heard that when the majority of these are matched, but not necessarily all, the next group of applications are made available.

So what I know is this. Applications approved by the adoption board between February and June 2008 are currently being considered. Most of those with Filipino heritage have been matched and it's possible that they've already begun matching the non-Filipinos or that they will soon.

Our approval date was in December 2008, so our application has not been made available yet. It may be in the next group of applications or maybe even the one after that. So it seems we have a little ways to go. There were many families in the current group that haven't been matched yet - most have waited well over a year already.

What I don't know is how long it takes between groups. The good thing is that through the online group, I get to hear when other families get matched and when they travel to pick up their kids. Because of this I may get to keep tabs a little as to who is getting matched and when we are getting closer. I will likely be able to see when other families who were approved around the time that we were get matched. At that point, I will get really antsy. But for now, I feel like I can exhale a little and settle in for a bit more waiting.

For now, it's looking like we probably won't get matched until next year sometime but I'm okay with this. There are so many other families who have been waiting much longer than us and it is totally right and fair that we wait while they get matched. It is helpful to know this and to actually read emails from families ahead of us in this process - to know their names and how long they've been waiting. I can pray for them - that they get matched soon.

This online group seems to be a great community and I am happy to be a part of it although the volume of messages is a little overwhelming at times. I think there are more than 500 families - from those considering adoption, to those who adopted years ago. I have already met a young woman who is considering adoption who lives about a kilometer away from us here in Cebu City. I will have coffee with her on Wednesday. There are others I've met who used to live in the Philippines or whose children came from the children's shelter down the street from us. Many share about traveling to the Philippines, where they stayed, what they learned and what it was like to pick up their child, what kind of health/grieving/attachment/food/sleep issues they had to deal with and how the transition is going. I'm sure having read others' experiences will be very useful when our time comes.

Aside from the wait to be matched there is also the question as to how long we will have to wait after being matched. Most families in the US have to wait until the child gets a US visa before they can come pick up the child and bring him home. For many, this takes another 6 months or so. What we don't know is whether we'll be able to take custody before we get the child's visa, since we won't need to take him/her out of the country right away. Of course we are hoping our living here will shorten this part of the waiting time out but we certainly can not bet on that until we talk to our agency and social worker and learn more.

We will continue to pray every day for our chid(ren). I'm sure they are well worth the wait and it's going to be fantastic to finally be able to bring them home.

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." Psalm 5:3