Letter of Intent

At this stage in an adoption, we send a letter to our adoption agency stating that we would like to adopt a particular child.  If you are waiting for a healthy child, you are presented with a picture of a child and they ask if you would like to adopt this child.  For special needs, you research the children by their individual needs to see if they are a fit in your family.  Some needs can be simple, like a twitchy eye, and some needs can be more time consuming, like blindness. 

We have found that child.  So we sent in our letter of intent.  In it we describe why we want this child and how we think they will be a perfect fit in our family.  From here, it will go to the agency for review and then be forwarded to China.  Once they accept your letter, that child is listed as matched on online files.  Then the review of your information begins.  More waiting. 

In the case of a special needs child, the review process may be escalated.  It depends on what stage of the process you are in.  Our last child was special needs and we did not get on a fast track review.  I think that was because we were already in the regular review process.  This time, we have just begun.  Only time will tell.