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Hello all future adoptive parents!
I haven't been on much because I really haven't had much to add until now. I received a letter from my agency today filling me in on all the political stuff going on with the election and how it will affect "US". I'll do my best to get to the points.
I'll start with the BAD NEWS::mad: Per the attorney that will represent me and my agency, the present govt. is very resistant to anything that may help the new administration (kinda like democrates helping republicans). The only work they will complete is work that benefits their party (sound familiar?). The DNA director, Carmen Donna Aven has resigned due to investigations and accusations of improper and dishonest behavior. This has merely slowed adoptions for the time being. For now, an interim director with little power has been appointed. She appears cooperative to our issues but overly cautious and taking a very long time to accomplish anything.(Quite common in Latin countries anyways) It is our attorneys opinion that there will be little activity within the DNA and international adoptions until the new director of DNA assumes her position in September along with all other cabinet members.
GOOD NEWS: A partner in my agencies law firm is the new Vice President elect!!!! This is an extremely valuable connection for my agency and all international adoptive families.:D The resignation of Carmen DonnaAven is not a disappointment as things were extremely slow under her watch and has directly been responsible for some of the time delays many of you have encountered - this is positive from a long term point of view. Our attorney is confident that the new director has a favorable opinion of international adoptions and that she will be a positive force for change and action at the DNA! However disappointing this changeover may be, it's only temporary and they believe the new administration will bring positive change for adoption.
Even better news: :D A family from Seattle is in Panama this week picking up their daughter and another family is awaiting a final signature on a document and they will soon be on their way to pick up their child!!!! Woo-hoo, children are coming home even amongst this period of unknowns!
Keep your faith. HIS plan may not be your plan (we've never seemed to be on the same time clock thus far) but it will be when HE decides and it will be PERFECT! Hope this will shed some light and give some hope as we await in anxious anticipation for the news that we too will be traveling to get our kids.
In the waiting zone with all of you,
Anita
working with FIA
Dossier submitted 6/2/04
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Sorry to butt in when you're waiting for an answer from Anita, but I can tell you this from our attorney today:
She STILL has not gotten an answer from the DNA about the two sisters' TPR status (that she asked about 3 weeks ago). The DNA told our attorney that they have a STACK of cases on their desk and have not been able to get through all of them, but not to worry because they will "keep us in mind."
Hmpf.
So in the meantime, we're going to get fostercare licensed at the end of the month and MAY be able to have two Latino siblings (ages 5 and 6 years) placed with us! We'd have to foster them for 6 months before being allowed to start the adoption proceedings (by law to verify our compatibility), but that's OK because they already have TPR, which means nobody could challenge it!!!
I've already told our attorney that we're going to pursue Indiana fostercare at the same time in case Panama doesn't work out, and that we're giving Panama until the end of the year when our documents start to expire again. We're NOT going to reapply for a 3rd time!!! So whoever finds the child first "wins"! ;)
Sorry for the sarcasm, but this 2-year wait has become unbearable, and it's stupid! There are children who need a home and are meant to be ours, whether in Panama or here at home! So we're just waiting for that mysterious answer.
:)
Rebecca
P.S. I also just learned that if you adopt a "special needs" child from foster care (a sibling group of 3 or more, a child over a certain age, or any child in ongoing therapy like speech or occupational, or diagnosed with ADHD), you can take the full $10,000 tax credit and you don't have to document your expenses! So we'll be able to get the $6k back that we've spent in Panama so far! Yippee!!!
Lauri, have you been given any updates on your case? Any idea when you'll be able to travel and pick up your son? We have no new information. We can't even find out where we are in the TPR process. It appears to be next to impossible to get any information out of the DNA. This doesn't make any sense to me :confused:
Julie
This is what I have been told. The TPR was successfully completed on June 9th. The paperwork from the court was suppose to be complete and sent to DNA by the 23rd of June. My agency said they went to court on the 22nd and the paperwork was not done. They were told to come back in a week. We are still waiting to hear if they have been back and the paperwork was ready. Next steps are to get the paperwork to DNA for the match to us and then set up final court date. This is suppose to be the fastest part of the process (2-4 weeks); however, who knows what that actually means.
We hope to get some additional information this week and I will post it when we get the information.
Lauri
Dossier June 2003
Referral August 2003
First Trip March 2004
TPR complete June 2004
Awaiting final court date
Sorry again for the late responses. I know that my documents will be sitting in Panama at DNA until September before they're even looked at so, I've been learning to live my life for now without having any possible chances of anything happening this year. This all means that my homestudy will have to be updated and probably my fingerprints and possibly my medical eval and psych eval. Almost like starting over as these things unfortunately have expiration time periods. When I last spoke with my agency, a family was due to bring their little girl home I believe this weekend. Another family was due to head to Panama within the next week or so pending all the stuff in Panama has been completed. My agency won't allow or encourage you to make travel plans until they know definitively that when you do go, you'll be returning with your kids! That being the best news I can depart for now. Hope that helps with keeping everyones focus on the end of this ordeal.
Keep the faith! Anita
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