Step-by-step instructions for adoption

Today I ran across this lovely post about adoption.
Many people ask me about the adoption process. Frankly, no matter what I say, the description below is more accurate than the mumbo-jumbo I offer that includes terms like I-600 or referral, or 171-Hs. The post below is a technical as you want to get unless you are inside the process of adoption!

This post is for Ethiopian Adoptions, though pretty similar for other adoptions as I have heard!

http://ourcoffeyhouse.blogspot.com/2009/05/for-jean-while-she-waits.html


Ethiopian Adoption in 52 Easy Steps
1 Fill out questionnaire.
2 Send check.
3 Fill out big questionnaire.
4 Send another check.
5 Get interviewed.
6 Get fingerprinted twice.
7 Write check.
8 Apply for Visa.
9 Write big check.
10 Get more fingerprints.
11 Get copies of every official certified thing ever written about you or files on your behalf.
12 Get your friends to write nice things about you.
13 Get them to write more and different nice things about you to put into the file.
14 Wait forever for the INS to figure out you aren't a terrorist training camp for toddlers.
15 Send another check with your completed file you've copied 9 times because you want to be sure.
16 Send everything to the agency and hope that this is NOT the one package they lose today.
17 Wait.
18 Wait some more.
19 Cruise the boards to find out who's getting referrals.
20 Worry that maybe you picked the wrong agency.
21 Wait some more.
22 Get Referral!
23 Send last check.
24 Wait
25 Wait.
26 Check prices for airline tickets.
27 Get shots.
28 Check Passports.
29 Check on Visas for Ethiopia.
30 Wait.
31 Get a court date!
32 Worry you won't pass court.
33 Blame everyone and everything for anyone not passing court.
34 Panic.
35 Pass Court (or not, skip back to 32).
36 Panic some more.
37 Finish the kid's room.
38 Buy more toys.
39 Panic some more.
40 Wait.
41 Get second round of shots.
42 Wonder why there are 6 pages of things you MUST pack for a 10 day trip.
43 Wonder if ANYONE ever packed that much.
44 Wonder how anyone did and STILL brought things over to donate to the program (feel guilty you couldn't bring more).
45 Meet your child.
46 Joy, mixed with panic because all of the your fears and doubts and everything else are staring you down and sizing you up.
47 More bureaucracy.
48 Travel back to the USA with a child that thinks he's just been kidnapped.
49 Kick yourself for not test installing the car seat before you left.
50 Home. Sleep. Panic.
51 Read your child his first bedtime story (that he still can't understand because he doesn't speak English).
52 Realize that it was all worth it.
Simple