Where we are today

This is Rajal writing. I started this blog because I needed an outlet for all my frustrations with the adoption process. Also, I thought it would make it easier for others to follow along on our journey.

I'm new to blogging so please be patient.

Since this is my first entry. I will start by telling you were we are now and providing a timeline of where we started.

Currently we are waiting for the court in India to process our paperwork. We have been waiting now for 13 1/2 weeks. What we are waiting for is verbal guardianship. That's where the courts say he's legally ours. Approximately 2-3 weeks after that, the court issues the written guardianship. The written court order is then sent to our agency in Texas for ICPC. In US, there are a set of laws called ICPC that must be followed. That process can take up to three weeks.

Back on Jan 1, 2009 we got our NOC. This is a "No Objection Certificate" issued by CARA, an agency of the Indian Federal Government that overseas all adoption cases in India. We expected to have our child home by March 2009. Obviously no progress has been made since Jan 1, we are very worried as to why this is taking so long. Others who got their NOC on the same day as us or after us, are already done with court process and some are even home with their child.

We are scared, stressed, frustrated, losing hope etc. And so we have decided to go to India and take custody of our son. Legally we can foster him anytime after we get the NOC. We got our NOC back on Jan 1. The fostering rules are that we cannot leave the state where the orphanage is located and we must let the orphanage know our address at all times. We are waiting for the orphanage to let us know what day we can come pick up our son for fostering. If all goes well we will leave for India this week. But since nothing has gone well in this entire adoption process, don't be surprised if the date changes.

Sorry for the negativity. I usually am a very happy positive thinking person, but my frustration level is high these days.