Adoption Timeline

How long did it take? Great question, so I thought I'd give you a timeline from when we started thinking about adoption to when we picked Eli up.

November 2002 - learned about Huntington's and began considering adoption

November 2003 - had genetic test that came back negative for Huntington's

January 2005 - had our biological daughter Abi

August 2005 - started researching adoption and settled on CWA (Christian World Adoption) as our agency with a primary interest in Guatamalan adoption

November 2005 - began to explore Ethiopian adoption, and found CWA a licensed agency in Ethiopia

May 2007 - I graduate with my PhD from University of Oklahoma

August 2007 - moved to Ohio to teach at a private university

August 2007 - sent in application to CWA

October 2007 - began a failed attempt with a homestudy agency in Ohio (they decided to no longer do international home studies)

January 2008 - began our home study with BBAS (Building Blocks Adoption Services)

March 2008 - completed home study

April 2008 - mailed off dossier to Ethiopia

June 2008 - received referral of Eli (born in Feb 2008)

July 30, 2008 - court date ... it fell through due to innercountry paperwork issues

Aug 2008 & Sept 2008 - Ethiopian courts are closed for the rainy season

Oct 13, 2008 - 2nd court date ... it fell through due to innercountry paperwork issues

Oct 2008 - Eli is diagnosed with hydrocephalus following a CT scan (MRI and ultrasound came back normal)

Nov 2008 - remet with social worker to amend home study to allow us to adopt a *special needs* child ... believing that this was the child God had for us

Nov 13, 2008 - 3rd court date ... all passed through this time, and the frenzy of travel arrangements began

Dec 9, 2008 - flew to OK to drop Abi off with family

Dec 10, 2008 - left for Ethiopia, with a delay in Houston due to SNOW!

Dec 12, 2008 - arrive in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Dec 13, 2008 - hold Eli for the first time and take him to the guest home to stay with us

Dec 16, 2008 - Embassy appointment in Addis

Dec 18, 2008 - receive Eli's VISA to return home

Dec 19, 2008 - leave for home (OK) to celebrate Christmas

Dec 21, 2008 - arrive in OK (11:00 pm)... in route for 65 hours due to delays, greeted at the airport by both sets of our parents, our daughter, and my sister

FINALLY HOME!

So, how long? Well it was 16 months from the time we applied for adoption, but in reality it was 6 years from the time God place adoption on our hearts in November 2002.