On January 13th we received an email with this letter (Letter of Seeking Confirmation from Adopter). John got a little emotional reading that Mia’s identity is “Foundling.” This is the first document we received from China. The agency we are working with in Colorado said that the adoption should be finalized within 9-12 weeks of receiving this letter. We will need to make plans to visit the town where her orphanage is and also fly to Guangzhou to get her passport.
In the meantime we are still answering emails, sending money, and getting things notarized at the consulate (for example: tomorrow I need to go to the US consulate and state that once Mia is in the US we promise to get her vaccinated). Just last week we finished our 16 hour online “Hague required parent training.”
For the most part the training seemed to be a waste of time for us. There were a few things we learned and it did soften my heart to the emotional stress she was under for five years in an orphanage. Below is one of the slides I appreciated reading. I find myself wanting Mia to be more grateful that we took her into our home. Now I know I shouldn’t feel that way.
"No child should have to grow up feeling like they should be grateful (this is different from being appreciative) just because parents adopted them. Every child has the right to a family and love."
