The WHOLE family, at Anellah's 2nd Birthday party in March

It’s hard when you have to admit that the reason you’re not adopting the child you already consider your “daughter” is due to money, but there are so many factors that go into our reasoning in sticking with the fact that we won’t adopt Anellah unless we receive the highest AAP rate. The main reason is that we couldn’t afford it, for her to be in daycare we have to pay a specialized care rate and we can’t afford to pay that while I work (nor do we want her in daycare full time) or to have me be a stay at home Mom without any additional income.  So we’ve been stuck.

The reasons the county initial provided for why we did not qualify for the highest AAP rate are because those rates are reserved for “MITS” foster families who adopt. “Medically Intensive Treatment” foster homes.  The problem is, the reason Anellah spent so long in the hospital was because all the MITS families said she needed more intense care than they could provide. We requested to become a MITS family but were told we could not. So Anellah is considered a MITS child in the San Francisco system but since we are not a MITS home we do not qualify to receive the higher AAP funding.

Another issue that came up was the way our monthly checks were written. They were divided into two portions simply because it made it easier for Families First’s accounting department to categorize. We were told by the county that if our checks were written as a lump sum each month then we’d qualify to receive that amount for AAP. Guess what, we had it changed and were then told it didn’t matter. We still didn’t qualify.

There were a few other hoops that we were told if we jumped through then we’d qualify. Guess what, all the jumping in the world hasn’t changed anything yet. At this point we have an attorney but the biggest help is Anellah’s attorney who is COMPLETELY on our side along with Anellah’s county social worker (who basically told us she was willing to lose her job over this matter as what was happened to us is not right). We also have city attorneys and other important folk on our side.

Anellah and I were going to go to court today but it looks like if a certain bill passes this month San Francisco county will change their AAP rate system and we’ll qualify for ALMOST the amount we are requesting. If that happens then it should be pretty smooth sailing and the adoption will finalize sometime around February 2012. My hopes are TOO high since, as you know, we’ve been told misleading information before, but you never know.

We’re not worried, with God on our side who can be against us? Currently Anellah is enjoying living in our home and we’re reaping the benefits of her being a foster child. I know God has amazing timing and I am confident things will work out. Currently Anellah needs leg braces ($2000) and we’d like to get her in preschool in the fall ($950/mo) but these things will be covered if we can get the braces/get her enrolled while she’s still a foster child.  It’s just a waiting game at this point.

And now you’re up to date!!

Worth every ounce of effort.

Can't tell by the photo, but she loves her buddy Chris!