Agency Application and INS Filing
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Pictures from our 2nd Adoption Trip to bring
our son, Sonam, home in late Sept. 2002
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| Going Up to a Guard Tower of the Great Wall |
Application to ASIA of Oregon sent 4/14/98
Requested info from Kinship Center for homestudy preparation
Filed I-600A with INS on 4/21/98
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Pictures of the Orphanage and Sadira
at the Lu'An Orphanage
Additional picture sent to us by the orphanage via our adoption agency in the U.S. (Lu'An Children Social Welfare
Institute - the official name of the orphanage)
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Pictures of Sadira from 2002 to 2003
Picture take at her preschool, Easter 2002
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Home Study by
Social Worker
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| On top of a Guard Tower punctuating the length of the Wall |
Registered for "Adoption Classess" with Kinship Center 4/29/98, plus CPR/First Aid classes with YMCA (required by Kinship).
Homestudy process began with a home visit on 5/10/98 and final interviews with the social worker on 7/24/98. The final
homestudy report was sent to ASIA of Oregon and INS 8/25/98.
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| Crowds on the Great Wall |
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The Orphanage Director and her "children." Sadira is on the far left.
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Sadira's dance debut: at a city park celebrating Earth Day.
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| In Hangzhou with Sadira's new brother (West Lake) |
Preparing documents in the adoption "dossier" began 5/2/98, notarized and sent to ASIA for authentication by the California
Dept of State on 9/21/98. Errors were found with the notary and corrections were made on 10/12/98. The delay resulted
in a delay in authentication by the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. Final dossier was not mailed to the China Center
for Adoption Affairs (or CCAA) till Nove. 20. 98.
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| Hangzhous's infamous Xi Hu, or West Lake |
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Additional picture of Sadira (standing) requested by our adoption agency to the orphanage.
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Halloween 2003: at home with her new 3-year old brother, adopted from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province in 2002 at 21 months.
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| At the Dragon Well Tea Plantation, Hangzhou |
Despite homestudy having been sent to INS late August, not news from INS. Visited INS in person, and received call
from INS 10/6/98 that their mail room had initially lost the homestudy but found it later. INS informed us that we are
missing one piece of document, which was delivered in person on 10/7/98. The I-171H was issued on the spot, and faxed
a copy to ASIA the same day.
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| Sightseeing: a pagoda in Guangzhou |
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Sadira (in yellow dress) and other children at the orphanage
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Summer Fun (2003): preschool activity.
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Waiting...Waiting...
and more Waiting
For "Referral"
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| Dr. Susan, a pediatrician, always accompany the adoptive family throughout the adoption trip |
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| With Mommy and brother at the White Swan Hotel, Guangzhou |
THE BIG NEWS: June 9. 1999, we received "the CALL" that they have received a referral for a healthy 16 month old
girl named "Lu Chun Xing" from the Lu'An Social Welfare Institute in Anhui Province. Received CCAA confirmation letter
on 6/11/99. Our acceptance of the referral was sent in to CCAA 6/21/99 Travel Permit issued by CCAA and
received 7/15/99. We left for China on 8/1/99 for pre-adoption travel, and "Gotcha Day" was scheduled for 8/9/99
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| "Posing" at the Bei Yuen Park and Bird Sanctuary, Guangzhou |
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Sadira (center) with her nanny. Picture taken by an orphanage staff with a disposable camera sent ahead in advance
of our travel to China to meet our daughter.
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Christmas in Houston, TX (2003): first iceskating lesson resulted in her tentative look on ice (at the Galleria Shopping
Center in Houston)
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