March, 1999
17 Returned from China with Emma knowing that one day we would adopt a sister
for her.
June, 2000
-- Decided to start adoption process.
-- Decided to adopt from Vietnam.
-- Picked the name, Ellianna.
-- We were told by adoption agency that we would most likely adopt in
March, 2001.
July, 2000
-- Decided to use Journeys of the
Heart adoption agency.
07 Met with social worker at our home for the Home Study.
17 Fingerprinted by sheriff for criminal check.
18 Mailed I-600A application to INS.
October, 2000
-- We were told by our adoption agency that we would most likely get a
referral in March, 2001
30 Our dossier officially received by IMH in Vietnam
February, 2001
-- We were told by our adoption agency that it would take an additional
6 weeks.
March, 2001
18 First discussed adopting a boy and a girl. Decided on the name, Elliot.
28 Sent an email to IMH in Vietham to request a boy and a girl.
April, 2001
24 Sent an email to IMH in Vietnam to inform them that we had decided against
adopting two children at once.
25 Received a request form IMH to update our paperwork.
June, 2001
08 Nguyen Khanh Ly is born in the Yen Bai province of Vietnam on our 5th
Wedding Anniversary.
July, 2001
11 We got the call that Khanh Ly is waiting for us.
17 We received packet of information and pictures of Khanh Ly.
August, 2001
-- Started collecting things to donate to the orphanage.
25 Bought gifts for birth mother and officials at Giving and Receiving Ceremony.
September, 2001
-- Our church and friends donated toys, medicine and school supplies for the
orphanage.
October, 2001
16 We received notice that we had to be in Hanoi by October 28th.
17 We mailed our passports and the visa application to the Vietnam consulate
by overnight express mail.
18 We bought plane tickets.
21 Forty friends came to our house for dinner and prayer session.
23 On third attempt, packed clothes and donated supplies into four suitcases
and a box.
24 Received I-171 from INS. Left for the Portland airport at 2:15 p.m.
Discovered that our flight to San Francisco was cancelled. Switched
airlines.
25 Left San Francisco at 1:30 a.m. on EVA Airlines.
26 Changed planes in Taiwan and arrived at our hotel in Bangkok, Thailand at
11 a.m., 31 hours after leaving home.
28 Arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam. Stayed at the Claudia Hotel.
29 Went to orphanage at Tu Liem to pick up Ellianna.
November, 2001
01 Went to Water Puppet Theatre to see an artform that dates from the 11th
century.
02 Rode in a van for five hours to provincial capital of Yen Bai for Giving and
Receiving Ceremony.
04 Took a city tour of Hanoi to see 6th century pagoda and 11th century
university. Finished our Christmas shopping.
06 Picked up Ellianna's passport at the police station.
-- Learned that the preceding group of adoptive families had finally received
their children's visas after being investigated by INS for up to three weeks.
08 Travelled to Ho Chi Minh City. Met Cox sisters.
09 Applied for Ellianna's immigrant visa at U.S. Consulate. Informed that we
were being investigated.
13 Informed by INS that we weren't going anywhere for a week.
22 Celebrated Thanksgiving with other adoptive families.
23 INS finally travelled to Yen Bai to investigate adoption. The local
officials were greatly annoyed by the way INS handled the investigation.
29 INS finally approved Ellianna's immigrant visa along with 18 other babies.
30 Arrived home after travelling for 24 hours.
December, 2001
04 Mailed paper work for readoption in Oregon.
January, 2002
25 Applied for Ellianna's Social Security Card.
February, 2002
27 Readoption ceremony with the same judge as Emma.
March, 2002
07 Received Ellianna's Oregon birth certificate.
23 Ellianna got her first tooth and first haircut.
May, 2002
17 Received Ellianna's passport.
19 Ellianna took several steps.
21 Ellianna learned to clap her hands.
Emma's Story
Emma's Timeline
Ellianna's Story
Prayers for Ellianna
Elllianna's Timeline
Nathaniel's Story
Journeys of the Heart Adoption Agency
More China adoption stories
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