Charlie and Chance's Timelines

7/21/09 Heard about Charlie for the first time
7/22/09 We commit to adopting Xiaohu aka 'Paul'- to become Charles William. Agency assures us it is OK to wait to start homestudy as CA/N clearances are taking about 3 months. We schedule early Oct. as this was the earliest the SW could do it. We questioned this at the time, noting our previous 2 adooptions had taken about a month for clearances.
7/29/09 Ordered copies of all of the vital docs
7/30/09- Hague info sent to us
8/7/09- Conferred with Dr. Lynn Batten on Charlie's pacemaker. Excellent local pediatric cardiologist who also referred us to Dr. Lau, electrophysiologist.
8/11/09 Submitted LOI packet.
8/12/09- Completed Michigan CA/N clearance request
8/12/09 Charlie was hospitalized with edema. Local Cardiologist thinks it's kidney related.
8/24/09 Provided the scanned dossier to the agency and social worker
9/3/09 Emailed copies of the Texas background checks to agency and social worker
9/3/09 Agency sent out notification that all pending LOIs should be submitted this week as CCAA would be reclaiming the agency specific children's files. We sent our docs again this day. Agency had been trying to wait to ensure we could meet the 90 day DTC date since LOI starts that clock.
9/14/09- Agency working to resolve how to handle marriage license issue
9/21/09 I asked about the CA/N clearances and was told there was 'no word yet' Also asked about our reference letters.
9/28/09 China rep was waiting to hear how to proceed with our marriage license issue and has not submitted LOI
10/4-6/09 Homestudy appointments
10/23/09 Meet with Lifeline in B'ham
Early October: Baby's file returned to CCAA as LOI papers not filed in time. File had to be retrieved- took another week. LOI filed and awaiting on PA
10/30/09 Discovered the CA/N clearances were complete back on 8/23/09, and homestudy is still incomplete and social worker still asking questions that were already answered. We're really not pleased with the situation, and are concerned that we have lost 2 months on the timeline
11/2/09 Homestudy revised and approved
11/6/09 Homestudy to DHR and agency advised we file I-800. PA still outstanding. When I asked for a hard copy, they said we would need to wait for the USCIS paperwork to come through before they would release it
11/9/09- Thinking about Charlie's upcoming third birthday next week.
11/17/09- PA issued
11/19/09- Sent I-800
12/10/09- Heard the homestudy had been sent to NBC
12/18/09- Received invitation for fingerprinting on 1/6/10
1/6/10- Went to New Orleans for printing
2/16/10- Got news the AL DHR will approve the homestudy addendum to adopt another child.
2/17/10- Per PA, we must be LID by this date, but agency has confirmed we will be given an extension.
3/1/10- Initial I-800 approved for both children.
3/2/10- I-800 being authenticated.
3/17/10- DTC on Chance's birthday!


LOI 10/30/09 estimated
PA 11/17/09
DTC 3/17/10

Projections vs. Actual
LID 2/1/10 3/28/10
LOA 4/30/10 6/15/10
I-800 6/7/10
Cabled/NVC 6/15/10
Article 5 18 days due 7/6
TA 7/1/10 5 days due 7/11
Travel dates 7/15/10 or 7/30
CA 8/11/10