Well as overwhelmed as I have been feeling, tonight everything just started coming together and I feel so organized and much more put together now. Our application part 2 is much like application+ parts of home study and dossier in one so when I was looking at the page-long checklist of what is to be included I thought, this is going to take FOREVER. Then I started making piles with sticky notes on each and compiling things we already have like birth certificates, marriage license and passports and dividing what still needs to be done between Jason and I and it really isn't that bad. I am very lucky that my doctor adopted 3 children from Uganda 6 years ago and completely understands what is required of international adoption and is so willing to help us so my health stuff is taken care of, just need to get Jason and Jalen in for their physicals. Just a few forms to fill out and get notarized and then write our autobiographies and we can send in part 2!!! The DHS, OSBI and background check info will go out tomorrow and we have emailed the info required for our reference letters to those writing them for us. I also have been making copies of everything and have been sliding them into sheet protectors in order, inside my large adoption binder I made so...I feel much less overwhelmed (for now). Thanks for the idea on the sheet protectors in the binder Tiffany that was a great idea!
So here is where I need the advice for now. As part of our education we are required to read 2 books between the 2 of us and then 1 course on adoption and the older child in case our child should come home to us after they have turned 12 mths. So I'm putting the list out here and would love your thoughts if you have read these or done the courses below and have any thoughts on which ones to choose or if you have heard about them and have thoughts to share. Not that it matters but if you don't know us, a quick FYI is: we have an almost 2 yr old son, plan to adopt a boy or girl under 12 mths of age, are both full-time working parents and Jason (my husband) was adopted and has 2 adopted siblings of different races so we're pretty well aware of life in a multicultural-multiracial family...if that helps at all :)
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| Jason with his family |
Raising Adopted Children by Lois Melina
Adoption Parenting by Jean MacLeod
Attaching in Adoption by Deborah Gray
Nuturing Adoptions by Deborah Gray
The Connected Child by Dr. Karyn Purvis
Adopting the Hurt Child by Gregory Keck
Parenting the Hurt Child by Gregory Keck
Courses:
With Eyes Wide Open workbook
Adopting the Older Child online course
Adopting Older Children Internationally online course
Toddler Adoption by Mary Hopkins Best (book)
Okay headed to bed now...I'd say it's about time 12:40am...my alarm is set for 6am, It's not gonna be a pretty sight tomorrow morning that's for sure and making doubly strong green tea will be first on my list of things to do!
We did the WEWO workbook and it was VERY time consuming. We also took the Adopting the Older Child online class. It wasn't bad at all and took around 1 1/2 hours to complete.
ReplyDeleteI read "The Connected Child" by Purvis and "Toddler Adoption" by Best. I really enjoyed the connected child. I thought it had a lot of practical advice in it. Toddler Adoption is a good book too. The author adopted a toddler from Guatamala (I think), so it is coming from a mom who has walked down that road.
ReplyDeleteHere's my recommendations. Take it for what it's worth. We've done 30 hours of hague training between two adoptions and I've personally read 1/2 of the books on your list and we've completed two of the 4 courses on your list. One of them twice. :)
ReplyDeleteWe have done With Eyes Wide Open twice. I didn't find it time consuming at all but I read fast.
I've read Karen Purvis' book, all of Deborah Grays books, and Parenting the Hurt Child.
For you I would recommend Eyes Wide Open, I think its quick and a good read. The Connected Child, and Adopting the Hurt Child. Hope that helps. :)
I am not much of a help because none of those were the courses or books we had to read. I am going to say though that because of the age you prefer to adopt, you should definitely do the Toddler course one. I read "What Size Shoes Does She Wear?" which is a toddler book and it helped with preparations. Please let me know if you have any questions as you are going through these things :) I have some advice for the dossier!
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