Adopting/sealing wait time

[justjayma]

We are adopting two girls from foster care, and will have them sealed to us.  Do you have to wait a year before sealing?  And who goes into the sealing room?  We have three biological children, who have already been sealed to us.  Do they get to go into the temple, too?

 

Thanks.

[pam]

According to this link adopted children can be sealed as soon as the adoption is finalized and legal.

 

Now someone can correct me but I believe that the other three biological children would not attend the sealing of the two adopted children.  I only know this because of some friends who were in the same situation and they weren't allowed to bring their other children.

[Backroads]

Pam's right. I have a few friends and cousins who adopted.  They usually had the kids sealed to them within days of the adoption finalizing. 

[Jennarator]

My bisop told us that sibling CAN watch siblings be sealed.  I don't know if adoption is different, I don't see why it would be, but I have personally seen it happen with half siblings...so a second marraige happens.  That couple is waiting to be sealed due to previous sealings need cancelled.  They have another child in the meantime.  Then when they finally all get sealed, the older children from previous marriage get to see the new baby sealed to parents.  They do not get to see the parents sealed, they are brought in at the time of the baby and get to see that part. I don't see why it would be different for adoption, but maybe??  

[omegaseamaster75]

Form handbook 1

 

Observing Sealings of Living Brothers and Sisters

To observe their living brothers and sisters being sealed to their parents, children under the age of 21 must be born in the covenant or sealed to their parents. In addition, children ages 8 and older must be baptized, and males ages 12 and older must hold the Aaronic Priesthood. If children do not live the majority of the time in the same house as those who are being sealed, First Presidency approval is required for them to observe the sealing.

Members who are married or are 21 or older must be endowed to observe such sealings.

 

I assume this includes adopted children as they by law are leagally brothers and sisters in the new family

 

Adopted or Foster Children Who Are Living

Living children who are born in the covenant or have been sealed to parents cannot be sealed to any other parents unless approval is given by the First Presidency.

Living children who are legally adopted and were neither born in the covenant nor sealed to former parents may be sealed to their adoptive parents after the adoption is final. A copy of the final adoption decree should be presented at the temple; a court decree granting legal custody is not sufficient clearance for a sealing. There is no obligation to identify the natural parents of these children.

First Presidency approval is necessary for a living member to be sealed to foster parents. This requirement applies even if the natural parents of the foster child are unknown and cannot be identified by reasonable effort. Such requests are made by the stake president.

[pam]

Thanks for the clarification. As I stated "someone can correct me."  :)

[classylady]

It was very special when my two step children were able to witness the sealing of their half brother to my husband and me.

[justjayma]

Thank you all.  It's still a time away, as the process isn't final, but we are looking forward to having our family completely sealed.