updated May 11, 2005

Back to Wentzmania.com bookMARKable -- to the EXTREME! Many a crafts for the crafty crafter Yes, we pamper our cats. Why do you ask? They never said "You'll go places!" Hmmm. Password protect. Yet, boring. Message Board ... password protected Wentzmania.com e-mail addresses Grudge Match: Da Web Page Matches with Mark as Commentator

We are adopting!
Mark and Steph plan to add to their family by adopting a child in the next year.
We are planning to adopt internationally. Right now, we are concentrating on Korea.
 
Our adoption timeline
 
2004
  • March 6 - We attended an information session for Children's Home Society and Family Services.
  • March 11 - We sent in registration fee to Children's Home Society (we must be serious - money is involved now!)
  • March 15 - Started looking at the application and paperwork to fill out.
  • March 24 - Mark had his required physical (Stephanie never heard the end of it it! Good news! Clean bill of health!)
  • April 2 - We got police and background check forms notarized and we get fingerprinted. (It was digital...no black ink on our hands!)
  • April 12 - Stephanie had her required physical.
  • April 12 - Stephanie mailed off the application packet to Children's Home Society.
  • May 10 - We found out we were invited to the June 17 and 18 Preadoptive Counseling Course (PAC). A 2-day adoption workshop that starts off the adoption study process.
  • June 17 & 18 - We attended the Preadoptive Counseling Course (PAC) and use lots of aspirin to deal with all the information we were presented with. Our next step is to turn in our "homework" - a list of questions we have to answer to help the social worker get to know us.
  • July 6 - We sent in our "homework". We hope to hear from our social worker to set up a meeting.
  • July 26 - We met with our social worker to go over part of the 19 questions we answered in our "homework".
  • September 13 - The social worker came to our home. We found out we were approved and on the list for a child from Korea!! A day of celebration! The CHSM works with Eastern Social Welfare Society to provide homes for adoptable children. We will receive a referral for a child in 3 to 6 months!
  • October 8 - We were fingerprinted at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in St. Paul. Fingerprinted again? Yes, fingerprinted again. We filled out the Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition better known as the I600A. Getting fingerprinted is part of the application process. (It was digital! Cool! Except for the testy government workers!)
  • October 29 - We received the draft of our homestudy.
  • November 9 - We received a copy of the completed homestudy.
  • December 3 - We received our "favorable determination" from U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services.
 
2005
  • January 13 -- We accepted a referral for a little boy from Korea. He was born on October 28, 2004. We hope to go to Korea to get him in April or May!
  • January 26 -- We were FINALLY able to send off all the papers to Children's Home Society. (Our payroll people delayed us! ARGH!) Pray that the papers go through the proper channels quickly!
  • February 10 -- Department of Homeland Security cleared us to adopt an orphan from overseas. We now have to wait 17-20 weeks before we get the call to travel.
 

 

1 month old

 

3 months old

 

5 months old

 Liam JeongMin Wentz

born: October 28, 2004
 
 
 
 
Adoption Links
Adoption.com
Adopting from Korea and Afterwards
 
Korean Links
Korean Customs
Korean Focus
Life in Korea