Adoption Agency in the Library!

We all scoped out our new library today. It was *ok* but, well, it sure made the old one look like the Library of Congress compared to this one. *sigh*

But! I did notice that in the same building as the library, there is an adoption agency... My eyes didn't get big as saucers or anything... (YEAH RIGHT), but my fingers did need to do a Google search once we got home. John says, "No-no, Shelly," and that there's no sense thinking about adoption stuff for another year at least. *snort* ;O) He's right, of course, but I did think it was interesting! Wouldn't you have thought it was interesting if you had been me? ;O)

I wouldn't use "this" agency anyway. I loved the one we used for our homestudy, and I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I put a little plug in for them here. If you're in Wisconsin, and need a FABULOUS agency to do your h.s., use Pauquette Childrens' Services in Portage. Ask for Kari. They do updates for free if you happen to go over a year, and they are very, very obliging. I think they do adoptions to U.S., China, Ecuador, Peru, India... but, if you want to adopt using another agency or independently, they're very flexible and reasonable! (They even updated our h.s. to three kids for us on the spur of the moment before our trip... for FREE! Aren't they AWESOME?)

Our homestudy agency wrote me recently to find out if we had taken care of our post-adoption obligations with Ukraine. Many of you know that Ukraine has halted US adoptions except under special circumstances. US families are not fulfilling their promises to send yearly reports to the Ukrainian Consulate in their area. There are evidently hundreds of US families who don't think they need to send them in! These forms/reports take about 30 minutes to fill out, TOTAL, and yet, they don't send them in, and the entire host of Ukrainian orphans are left without any of us being able to come get them. It seriously Makes Me Sick. Our next reports are due in August, (you have to send them yearly for the first three years home), and I plan to send copies of last year's reports along as well to MAKE SURE they have them.

Anyway, I'm thrilled that our h.s. agency wanted to make sure we followed through. That might also mean that other agencies are inquiring of THEIR families if they've also followed through. It isn't even like they/we have to have a full-fledged post-placement report from a social worker. It's just a simple form! GET THOSE REPORTS IN! All you need to do is download the form from the Ukrainian Consulate's website. At least they are on the Chicago branch's website. FILL THEM OUT AND SEND THEM IN. (Did I yell that loud enough?) Also, it would be wise to insure the delivery so you have proof in your hands that the reports were received. Ukraine's post-adoption reports are probably the EASIEST of any country's requirements. Let's give the rest of those children left in UA a chance at having a good future...

Boy, did that turn into a soapbox talk. Sorry. Well, Kinda sorry. ;O)