From all of us at Madison Adoption Associates!
Madison Adoption Associates is proud to report that we have received Hague reaccreditation through February 2025. Thank you all so much for your patience as our staff worked tirelessly toward this important milestone!  
The Attachment & Trauma Network has a large trauma conference coming up in February and are offering scholarships for parents! If you, or other parents you know, need a scholarship to cover your registration to our conference, scholarship applications are due December 15th. Check out the Parent Track here.
Please be aware that we have recently learned of extended processing times at USCIS for I-800a/I-800 applications. Currently, USCIS is quoting ‘targeted processing time lines’ of:
 
  • Form I-600A/I-800A             90-150 days from receipt at lockbox
  • Form I-600/I-800                   90-150 days from receipt at lockbox

Due to these significantly lengthened timelines, we encourage you to closely monitor your USCIS document dates and plan accordingly. Any questions, do not hesitate to contact your case worker!
Christmas in Colombia!

It is the most important holyday of the year. It starts with the lighting of the candles on the 7th of December (dia de las velitas). Christmas in Colombia is about ‘novenas” from December 16th until the 24th. The Novena is a set of prayer you do with family, friends, neighbors nine days before Christmas and around the Pesebre (The Manger). The novena is prayed and hosted at a different home each night – or it can be in your own home too- and it honors Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and baby Jesus through their journey seeking for shelter. During these novenas, special Colombian treats as served as part of the tradition such as buñuelos, natilla, and empanadas. Presents are brought by baby Jesus and Christmas is celebrated on the 24th at midnight when baby Jesus is born. A special dinner is served, and presents are opened then too.   The 25th is a more relaxed day: kids play with their new toys, wear their new clothes and dinner leftovers are served for lunch. Christmas celebration ends on January 6th when the Three Wise King bring their presents to baby Jesus.

Feliz Navidad!
Don’t forget to choose Madison Adoption Associates as your non-profit of choice on Amazon Smile during all of your holiday shopping! You can shop AND support our mission all at the same time! Go to https://smile.amazon.com and choose Madison Adoption Associates as your charity! Thank you!!!
Families home in November!
Our offices will be closed from December 24, 2020 through January 3, 2021 so our staff can recharge and enjoy much deserved time with their families! We will, of course, be checking email daily for urgent matters, and processing mail.  
If you are not in a position to adopt right now, but still feel compelled to help, please know that you can always make a donation directly to Madison Adoption Associates. Your generous gift will be directed where it is needed most, whether that be to provide food and medical services to vulnerable children both domestically and internationally, to support MAA’s growing therapeutic support services for adoptive and foster families, to help ease the financial burden for adoptive families, and/or many other areas where MAA serves deserving children. So please – consider making a tax-deductible donation today, so that children around the world may have a chance for a brighter tomorrow.