The Paper Chase!

A couple days ago we received our homestudy packet. It is full of information that we need to complete and collect. Some of the items are to be turned in sometime before the last visit but most of it must be turned in before we are able to schedule the visits. Next week we are scheduled to receive our adoption planner and have our dossier run-through call with our new Ethiopian Case Manager. I think this officially means that we are beginning the paper chase! One thing in particular that I am chasing after now is a report from Mexico. In order to adopt you are required to prove that you have not been on any child abuse registry lists. This definitely makes sense! If you have only lived in one state then it's a pretty simple process. If you have lived in another state you work with the FBI to get that but if you have lived in another country since you were 18 then you must check with the registry in THAT country. Well, apparently Mexico does not have a central registry but one for each state and I lived in two different states in Mexico. So, I am going to contact the DIF (Desarollo Integral de la Familia) for both states by writing up a statement requesting clearance. Good thing I speak Spanish! DIF is like the Dept. of Social Services in our country. Our agency said that this has been a long process before so pray that it goes smoothly! :) We'll keep you updated! I can't believe we are already in this phase of gathering documents!! It's exciting!

p.s. that is not our current stack of paper, don't worry! It's a cool picture I found though!

UPDATE!!!
I told you guys about having to get in touch with the DIF in the two states that I lived in while I was in Mexico the other day. I decided to ask a great friend that I actually met living in Xalapa. Let me just say that she is awesome! I asked her if she happened to know anybody that worked in the DIF in Xalapa and guess what? She does!!! Crazy! And get this! The guy that she knows actually works in the adoption dept. of the DIF. AND they went to the same church that I went to in Xalapa and we're thinking that I might have even met them. I really am amazed at how God has continually provided for this adoption. One of these days I'm gonna write up all the ways because it's amazing!