Our Home Study

Our home study has begun - in South Carolina. This is one of the most significant and detailed portions of the dossier. I have chosen Adoption Advocacy of Greenville, SC to conduct our home study. They were recommended to me by GWCA and as usual, we have found an amazing group of people to work with.

I contacted our social worker, June B. via email to inquire about how to begin our home study. I explained our unusual situation of moving from Minnesota to South Carolina in the middle of the dossier paperchase phase. I explained that we do not yet have an actual house of our own to live in, and how Al and I are living in two different locations. June told me about an adoption seminar in Greenville and recommended that I attend so we can "get this party started." Our circumstances don't seem to phase her in the least and she is anxious to get going so that our "Little China" can stop waiting for us to come and get her.

I first met June on September 30 on my drive to Greenville. As I was leaving Columbia, after having lunch with my niece Sara Beth, I called June to give her my estimated arrival time. She told me to pull off I-26 at Exit 52 and meet her at the McDonald's so she can "hug my neck" and be on her way! See, China requires us to have FOUR meetings with our home study case worker. One down! June is an amazing person, I could tell immediately. She has 2 biological children and 4 adopted children and is just meant for this job. She put me at ease right away and got me excited about continuing the adoption process that has been on hold for so long!

The seminar she conducted on October 1st was wonderfully informative, positive and enlightening. I met others on the same road we are on and some others that are following different options. I also met some families that have already adopted - from China and domestically. There is a large support system in SC and from what I have learned, SC is a very safe and secure state to conduct adoptions.

I've now begun collecting the endless papers needed for the Home Study. Also, Al and I are both writing our autobiographies that will become part of our dossier. The China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) will use all of this information to help us find the right child for our family.