About This Site

Hello and welcome!



I have two wonderful children that we adopted from India through international adoptions. My husband and I are currently exploring options to add a third child to our family through domestic adoption. I find that when I am doing all of the calling, online searching, emailing, and researching that it gets confusing and overwhelming. Over the years I have developed a number of forms to use to help me when I am researching and I wanted to share them, so I started this blog.



I am intending to add more forms as I can, so I hope to see you here again soon.



Thanks for stopping by. I hope you find something you can use!



Stephenie

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Making an Adoption Notebook or Storage System

One of the the first things I did when I started our first adoption was to write away and ask for information packets from every agency I could find. Before long I was drowning in paperwork, and then we needed to start collecting important documents and keeping them all in one place. For our daughter I purchased a 3 ring binder and tabs and made an adoption notebook. By the time we adopted our son there was even more paperwork to keep track of and it no longer fit into the largest 3 ring binder I could find, so I went to Walmart and bought a tall plastic container with a lid and handle made by Sterilite.



You can also find them online:

Sterilite Corp. 18964306 Large Show Offs Storage Container


I used the manilla file folders to keep everything organized. I eventually put all of the paperwork for my daughter in one of these boxes as well and have both of them in the closet, just in case I ever need anything from them or if the kids would like to look through them.

If you decide to create your own notebook or storage system, here are some possible labels to get you started:

International Adoption

Agency Contact Information
Information Packets (or label them by agency if you choose)
Budget
Pre-Application
Formal Application
Birth Certificates
Marriage License
Divorce Decrees
I600/I800
Dossier
Referral
Passports
Medical
Visa
Travel
Photos
Finalization
Lawyer
Citizenship

Domestic Adoption

Agency Contact Information
Information Packets (or label them by agency if you choose)
Budget
Pre-Application
Formal Application
Birth Certificates
Marriage License
Divorce Decrees
Birthmother Letters
Birthmother Contact
Passports
Medical
Travel
Photos
Finalization
Lawyer
Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. DawnFebruary 25, 2010 at 7:19 PM

    We adopted a baby from Vietnam last year and I have a box VERY similar to this one and it was a GODSEND!

    ReplyDelete
  2. StephMarch 2, 2010 at 7:47 AM

    Hi, Dawn! Thanks for stopping by. It really helps to keep everything in one place, doesn't it! :) Congratulations on your little one.

    ReplyDelete

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About Me

I am a 36 year old Christian wife and mother through the wonderful blessing of adoption. Please contact me at: 1samuelmama@gmail.com