February 2007 - Realized that neither of us had any overwhelming need to have another biological child given all the likely medical risks from our experience with #1. Started exploring foster care and adoption.
April 2007 - Began our foster care licensing classes. We did 5 all-day Saturday classes, and finished in early May.
July 2007 - Licensed as therapeutic foster parents in Indiana.
July 2007 - March 2008 - Cared for various infants in interim care for domestic adoption, but no actual foster placements.
April 2008 - While in Disney World, I received an email from our social worker about a placement request she had received for a 2-year-old boy. This was fairly common, we had heard of this before, but never had anything panned out. Our social worker submitted our information and we figured we wouldn't hear any more. When we returned home on Sunday night, I found a voice mail from the child's case worker on our home phone, asking us to call. When I finally talked with her on Monday afternoon, she said that she had chosen us as the child's placement and wanted us to take custody this week. Through the whirlwind, we negotiated to have a visit with him Wednesday evening; he came to our home for dinner, and we knew he'd fit right in. The little boy, who would become #2, came home to us that Friday afternoon.
Late April 2008 - #2's birthmom agreed that we were the best choice for him permanently and agreed to allow us to adopt him. This happened MUCH more quickly than anyone had imagined.
Late October 2008 - With a special waiver of the typical 6-month wait before filing for adoption from our district case manager, we officially adopted #2.
August 2008 - We let our social worker know that we were open to accepting another placement.
September 2008 - April 2009 - Made many inquiries on children, had a few interviews, but nothing panned out.
May 2009 - Received info on an infant girl and 2-year-old boy, not related or together, available in another county. Threw our names in the ring.
June 2009 - Asked to interview for infant girl. That afternoon, case worker called saying we were not selected for the infant, but asked if we would be interested in a legally free 2-year-old boy. Quickly realized it was the same little boy and we said yes. Met him in late June and accepted the placement.
July 2009 - Participated in a prolonged transition. It was interrupted by a family vacation on our part, which made it longer than it should have been. #3 came home for good in late July.
May 2010 - Finalized #3's adoption.
February 2010 - Applied and accepted into Holt's Waiting Child Program.
March 2010 - Accepted in Holt's Ethiopia program. Fell in love with #4 via his profile, but Holt asked to wait until our homestudy was complete before allowing us to go to committee on him.
April 2010 - International homestudy complete. Matched with #4 at committee in late April. He was just over 1 year old at that time.
July 2010 - Learned we would be traveling to Ethiopia in October to meet #4 and go to court to adopt him.
October 2010 - Traveled together as a couple to Ethiopia and met #4. Legally adopted him in the Ethiopian courts.
Late November 2010 - Traveled by myself to Ethiopia to visit the US Embassy with #4 and bring him home.
Early December 2010 - #4 home.
