What is a ________?

Over the summer we were invited to a wedding in Maine. (Hi Kouba's!) It was there that we met another family who had adopted a little girl from Russia.  She is about the same age as Sam.  When we found out that this couple had been through the adoption journey William and I both sat back and relaxed.  For once we didn't have to explain our million and one reasons to adopt, and we didn't have to define every adoption term that there is.  The four of us just talked knowing that our hearts were in the same place.  It was really nice.  

My best friend, Erin, is another person that I can talk too without catching her up to speed.  I can just say, "Still waiting. . . " and she replies, "Us too . . ." Our hearts know what we are waiting for.  It was her first adoption that taught me what a Dossier was, I hope that I caught on pretty quick. 

So when I am talking to you and I start to speak another language this little lesson will help you to understand what I am saying.  Please memorize there will be a test. 

Home study- Is when a social worker comes into your home, and life, and interviews you, and some of your friends, to see if you are fit to become parent.  There are usually four visits for a home study.  We actually like to talk about ourselves so this portion was fun for us.  Except for the part when Sam kept talking about getting sp*nked.  Which up until that point he hadn't been sp*nked in years. 

Dossier - A pile of paper work that shows Ethiopia that we meet their requirements to adopt one of their precious children.  Seriously, it is a huge three ring binder filled with documents that proves we aren't criminals, we can drive safely, that our home is sanitary, that a fire marshall has approved our home for habitation, and our water is safe to drink.  It also contains our Home study and other important documents from our agency.  If you know us well, you will know the fact that we have all of these papers in a three ring binder and that we know where that binder is at all times, is an amazing thing.  We found our passports in a random box in the basement. We are not the most "together" people in the world.  I really have to credit William with putting everything together.  He carried the paper pregnancy.  

DTE-  Date or Dossier To Ethiopia: As of right now this is the most important thing.  This is the date that our paper work went to ET.  Our DTE is 5/2/08.  It is sorta like a due date, no more like a conception date.  7-9 months after 5/2/08 we will have a baby . . . sorta.  The DTE is also how our agency keeps track of who is next in line to get a Referral.  The last family that received a referral has a DTE of 4-4-08! We are getting so close!

Referral- When you are matched with a child. Unlike most countries, this is done by our agency.  We either accept or reject they referral. It is unlikely that we would reject a referral since our agency already knows what we are requesting in a child.  They would give us a child that has special needs if we didn't ask.  That is not to say that special needs wouldn't turn up later. 

Court Date - The day that our case will appear before a judge in ET to determine if the child is legally ours. About 30% of people fail court.  It is usually because ET is so adamant about making sure that the child is a true orphan and the paper work submitted didn't match up.  Which is really good, but really hard to endure from this end. Our friends the Kulps are going through this right now. 

MOWA - Ministry of Wom*n affairs.  They are the ET agency that controls orphans affairs.  They must approve us for the adoption before we pass court. 

 TTD-  Provided that we pass court our date to travel is set 2-3 weeks after our court date. 

AWAA- America World Adoption Association. Our agency. 

So there it is, well most of it.