Back to the Beginning...

I had always known that my first daughter Mia, adopted in 2009 from China, would have a sibling.  Now how that would happen, I had no clue.  When China closed its doors to singles, it was no longer an option for daughter #2.  There were a handful of other countries that let singles adopt, but for one reason or another (reliability of program, cost, length and number of stays in country), they weren't a viable option.  So, I enjoyed the daughter I had, and tried not to think too much about it.

Until about September of 2010.  My agency for my China adoption, Living Hope Adoption Agency, in Pennsylvania sent out an email about their new pilot program for Honduras.  Honduras was essentially brand new to the international adoption scene.  They had healthy children available and were open to singles.  I wasn't sold at first.  I was very hesitant about being a "guinea pig" in an untested, no track record program.  I kept in open mind, learned the background of how Living Hope got started in Honduras, and by October I had sent in my application and was ready to adopt again.

Adopting a second time was certainly easier in some ways.  I used my same social worker and had just seen her recently for Mia's one year update, so we didn't have to start from the beginning.  I also knew where to get my fingerprints done (3 different times, for 3 different agencies), where to get birth certificates, and so on.  Honduras was a bit pickier than China, in my opinion: more documents had to be notarized, on letterhead, written a certain way, etc.  Honduras is non-Hague, though, so that did simplify things.  (For my non-adoption world friends, the Hague Treaty is an international agreement between countries that sets guidelines for international adoption.  What it practically means, though, is adopting from a Hague country=more red tape and paperwork.)

So, jump ahead 7 months, and my dossier was completed, sent to my agency for legalizing and sealing, and then to the Honduran consulate in N.Y.  As of May 2, my dossier was approved by the consulate and on it's way to the IHNFA (the CCAA of Honduras).  Next step, referral!