Chris and I started this blog to chronicle our journey to adopt Fernanda and Wendy, sisters from Bogota whom we hosted through Kidsave's Summer Miracles program in the summer of 2009.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
New Skills!
Fernanda had her first swim lesson today and in 30 minutes learned some forward and backward strokes, kicking and floating, and jumping in! After the lesson she practiced for about 45 minutes -- she is really persistent when she wants to learn something new. Here she is jumping in: Wendy watched the swim lesson for a little while, then went and played in the shallow end with her "cosito" -- a tupperware she uses to dump water on herself. She is getting more and more comfortable in the water and is putting her face in and moving along the wall. She came upstairs early to help make pizza for dinner:
After dinner we went for a walk by the river with Adriana, who is staying with us. She took this picture:
Overall it has been a great week. Camp has been a really nice addition. Though I think the kids might prefer a bit more activity (and we are going to put them into a sports camp for the week after art camp ends), they seem to be enjoying themselves well enough, learning some English, and making some new friends. There has been a bit of resistance to going to bed (!!) but once they fall asleep they sleep soundly straight through the night. We have really been enjoying our time together.
We go to Tivoli tonight for the weekend, so no more posts til next week as we don't have computer access.
December 2008 We submit our hosting application to Kidsave, applying to host 2 sisters from Colombia through the Summer Miracles program
February 2009 We start our homestudy with Spence-Chapin
April 2009 We are matched with Fernanda and Wendy from Bogota
June 29 Fernanda and Wendy arrive for the five week Kidsave Summer Miracles program!
August 4 The girls return to Bogota
August 5 We are allowed to call the girls to be sure they arrived safely
August 12 We submit our Letter of Intent to ICBF (Instituto Colombiano Bienestar de la Familia, the Colombian child welfare authority) to proceed with an adoption application for Fer and Wendy
August 14 Dossier completed!
August 17 Our dossier is sent to Colombia for translation by Spence-Chapin's representative
August 31 We receive permission to call/email the girls
September 1 We call and speak to both girls on Fer's birthday!
September 4 Our dossier translation is complete and the translation is registered
September 8 Our Letter of Intent is approved
September 9 We confirm that our dossier has been filed
September 16 Our dossier is approved by ICBF National!
November 12 Our dossier is approved by ICBF Regional and our official referral is issued!!
November 28 We receive permission from ICBF to have the girls stay on with us after the Holiday visit
December 1 We submit our I-800 paperwork to Spence-Chapin
December 4 The girls arrive for the Holiday Visit!
December 23 Our I-800 approval is sent to the American Embassy in Colombia
January 5 2010 Our representative in Bogota is able to get all of our paperwork from the American Embassy to start the process when the courts re-open (on January 12)
January 9 We return to Colombia with the girls to begin the adoption process!
January 13 First Integration Meeting at ICBF offices
January 20 Second Integration Meeting -- we receive our certificate to submit our application to the courts
January 21 Our papers are submitted to the courts
February 11 Sentencia (the adoption decree) is issued!
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