3rd home study visit and update!

Sunday was our 3rd of 4 home study visits for John's adoption.
For this visit the social worker went over all of our paperwork necessary for an international adoption.

Certified copies of all of our birth certificates.
Certified copy of your marriage certificate  
Verification of employment on company letterhead
Income verification (usually copies of your federal tax returns for the last three years)
Proof of life insurance, including the names of beneficiaries
Proof of health insurance;
Verification of all monetary assets on institution letterhead (including checking account, savings account, 401k balance, stocks, money market accounts, mutual funds, etc.)
Debt information (balances on your credit cards, cars, house, etc.)
Mortgage or rent information (amount of monthly payment and amount of equity you have if you own your home).
Results of a recent physical exam's for everyone in the home.
Results of a criminal background check for everyone over 18 in the home.
Fire safety inspection
Letter from your veterinarian stating that all your pets are healthy and current on their vaccinations
Photographs of you, your spouse, and any children already living in your home
Photographs of the front, back, and inside of your home
Copy of any previous home study (if applicable)
8 notarized written references

As you can see we are glad to be almost done with this part of the process as it's a lot of work!
For this visit the social worker came into the dinning room only our home.
She interviewed our children, asking them how they felt about having another brother and how general chit chat to get to know them better.
Since my parents live with us she also interviewed them asking more or less the same questions but with more time spent on their health issues.

We hope our 4th and final visit will be either Tuesday or Thursday of this week.
Then our social worker will write up the home study including all the information in the letters and interviews.
When that is done she will send a copy to us, our adoption agency and the home study office to make sure it's all correct.
Finally when we have all ok'd the home study it will be notarized and we will receive copies as well as one to send to USCIS (Immigration) for our I800a authorization to bring an child into the county.
This can take up to 3 months for the USCIS to be approved so we are trying to hurry things through to meet our dossier reuse deadline.

Last week we were lucky enough to receive an update on John.
The director said the following;
"John" is going to school, in first grade now. He is a smart boy. His personality is outgoing. He is healthy and happy. They just hope you are able to come get him soon. They appreciate you adopt him. The orphanage has staff takes him to school and help him with school work after school.

We were SO happy to get the update and know he is doing so well!