Here we go again! The Wait for a Girl through Holt-Korea Begins!

For 9 months now, people have asked if we have thought about adopting again. The answer is certainly yes, but the timing needed to be right. I was always in favor of the idea for a variety of reasons (i.e. sibling for Rai with common Korean heritage, great experiences with Holt-Korea and international adoption, and ability to request a girl through the Waiting Child program), but Aaron needed some time before he was ready to go through the process again.

To make a long story short, we completed our adoption application for Holt's Waiting Child Program in Korea and requested a girl. Now we begin the homestudy process. Yes, the entire process is the same: parent biographies, letters of recommendation, adoption training classes, homestudy meetings with our social worker, etc., but things will be a bit different. Much of our focus will be preparing Rai for his role as a big brother. And this time, we have some experience going into the process. Many setbacks, such as USCIS (US Immigration) delays, are a bit more familiar and will hopefully mean a bit less panic. :-) The process will vary greatly, however. Our referral could come shortly after our home study is complete or it could take 2 years. Everything depends on the children who are referred and the compatibility between the child's needs and our family's ability to meet the child's needs. It is very exciting to have the surprise element this time around, though!