A few weeks ago, we learned what the adoption process looks like given our child is from Missouri, and we're from North Carolina (adoption laws vary by state.)
Here is the process:
- Day 1 - Our son is born.
- Day 3 - 48 Hours Post Birth the bithmother signs paperwork that releases the child into our custody. There is no revocation period in Missrouri - when the ink is dry, this is final and she cannot change her mind.
- Day 3 or 4 - The lawyer then takes the paperwork to the local judge, who approves, and starts the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) process, which allows the two states to agree that the child be placed with us. The paperwork is packaged and sent to the central ICPC office for the state who approves it.
- Day 4 or 5 - The central Missouri ICPC office sends it to the central ICPC office in North Carolina. They then send it to the local office for our county.
- Day 5 or 6 - The local NC ICPC office recieves it.
- Day 6 or 7 - The local office then sends a copy to our social worker. She receives it and sends back a copy of our home study.
- Day 7 or 8 - The local office then approves us and sends that approval back to the original state (Missouri). Sometimes they will call the social worker in the state that day and give us verbal celarence to leave.
- Day 8 or 9 - We leave Missouri with our baby!
- 6 Months Post Birth - The adoption is finalized in the Missouri courts, and our son's birth certificate and social security cards are reissued with our last names.
My Type A personality is going to be put to the test with this! The good thing is that we are saving like crazy in case we have to live in Missouri for 1-2 weeks while we wait for the ICPC approvals. We have a few friends who have relatives or friends who live in Springfield and they're checking to see if we could stay with them a few days to alleviate the cost of a hotel; but we are also looking at Vacation Rental by Owner deals too.
The goal is to bring our boy home and a few extra days in the midwest won't hurt anyone.
It's an adventure right?
It's an adventure right?
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Another idea to alleviate some of those hotel costs would be to see if anybody you know (among the many who LOVE you) has points that could be used at a hotel for free nights. There are lots of people who travel for business and they end up racking up these points and not usually using them. It couldn't hurt to check, right?
ReplyDeleteSuch an exciting adventure- blessings abound!
Oh man, it must be exciting to be getting to the end of this whole process! I'd treat it like an adventure too, the whole not knowing how long you'd be out in Missouri.
ReplyDeleteI can say enough how excited I am for you and matt!!
ReplyDeleteGood idea Piper! Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, it's so close, you must be jumping through the roof!!!! What an adventure, indeed!! I think it's pretty amazing that you will basically be on a honeymoon with your new baby boy. The three of you can just hide out and lounge in bed and hibernate, get to know each other and really enjoy those first few days without anyone else around. It will be magical!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds exciting!! That is great that Missouri has such a short wait time (for the adoptive parents at least). What agency are you using in NC?
ReplyDeleteWe are using American Adoptions which is a national agency.
ReplyDeleteThere is very similar to how our process went (we were in MN and our little guys was born in Iowa). He was born on a Wednesday and we got the verbal to go home on the following Thursday. As hard as that week was to be stuck in a hotel room it was the BEST time we could have had because it was just the 3 of us trying to learn how to take care of our sweet boy. The week will fly by! :)
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