DTC!!!

We have finally made it—we are DTC (Dossier to Ch…)!!!  This is the first big “goal” of those adopting from Ch.  It takes many months of work and document chasing to get to this point, and we are finally there! 

Our dossier is basically a packet of information about ourselves that we send to Ch.  It is comprised of official copies of birth certificates, our marriage license, home study, immigration approval, financial information, and the list goes on and on.  Now that it is sent to Ch, we are waiting (again). 

They will receive our dossier in about 4 days, and then will begin the process of logging it in.  In about a month we will be given a LID, or log in date, which is the official date they logged us into their system as an adoptive family.  The LID is kind of the second big “goal” for those adopting from Ch.  Once we receive our LID, then we will be able to start receiving referrals/reviewing children’s files.  So, it is very possible that we will start receiving referrals in April.  That is exciting, yet will also be very difficult and emotionally taxing.

As I mentioned earlier, we are playing the waiting game again.  However, we will be doing some “behind the scenes” work while we wait.  While we are waiting on LID, we will: 

1.  Start communicating and setting things up with the International adoption clinic (IAC) at MUSC.  When we receive a referral that we feel will be a good match for us, we will send that child’s medical file to the pediatricians at the IAC.  They will review the file, along with the pictures and video, and give us the best review they can (explaining the medical issues, treatment, etc as best they can).  This all has to be done within 48 hours of receiving a file, and they understand that urgency and work within those timelines.  The IAC will also be key when we return to the US, as they will be handling the initial medical care and referral to medical specialists for our child.

2.  I have already started to clean out the closet in our new child’s room.  So, we will continue to clean out the room and start getting it ready.

Anyway, I just wanted to give y’all a quick update of where we are now, and what will be our next step.  I’ll be posting again in a few days about what we will know, and what we won’t know about our child once we get matched (plus a few other things).  So, stay tuned J