Department of State

August 20, 2013

  Well like I said thank goodness for overnight delivery, and same day processing!  I'm not sure I had the date right because it took a full day for travel and return.... so this date may actually be the 21st not the 20th.  anyway....
  We got our documents back and WAHOO!!!!  they're corrected!  the spelling is correct and they even managed to use the same hole for the brads!  So our documents still look all pretty.  It's kinda strange,  to see my documents come into the office, and have them be processed just as any other family.  I feel excited and love seeing the process unfold.
  I didn't get any photos of the in between stage. Which makes me sad, but at the same time, its just another FedEx folder, and mailing.
  The cool thing about this step in the process is that the Ethiopian Embassy  stamps the back of the Department of States approval.  I think its cool. :)

Documents Back from the State

Wahoo!! We got our documents back from the state!!!

  Well almost wahoo, when we looked things over the State made a typo on our notary's name.  After a quick call to confirm what we already thought, we had to send the documents back, to be authenticated properly with the correct spelling. (thank goodness FedEx and the State do same-day and overnight delivery)  So we'll send them off again.
  I added a little love to our envelope this time (Riley wasn't around to give it a sticker of good luck) around.

A little love sent along with our documents

Second time around, hoping last time around, at least at the state level. :)

Dossier Approved by Agency

August 12, 2013

  We officially turned in our Dossier paperwork to West Sands on August 13,2013  I'd had been working on getting everything together for months.  You would be surprised how much effort obtaining documents can take!   If you've ever heard someone talk about the paperwork you probably just shrug.  Unless you've done it yourself or been involved in helping someone you don't realize that it is one form/document after another.

 I'll tell you what, I've been blessed by being able to work in the adoption field.  I've talked with families and helped many families through the paperwork process.  But I never completely understood.  But BOY can I now!  I have so much more of an appreciation for the papers I deal with on a daily basis.  Our bank letter (which most families have no problems getting, gave me the biggest issue!   MACU employees are super sweet and friendly, but I swear the 3  employees I dealt with, couldn't have built a Lego house even if all 3 worked together on it!) so needless to say it took over a week to obtain a document that is less than 3 sentences.  -ugh

 Anyway I got off track.  All of our documents have been turned in to WSA and have been approved!  which means everything I submitted was what they needed!  No need to re-do anything, or have further clarification.  It was a HUGE relief when heard that "everything looks good, time to authenticate!" I couldn't believe it, its still rather strange to know that my paperwork is done!

  So my family graduated from a manila envelope to a blue file folder!  Which is the sign that we are now officially in the Ethiopia program process!  Our family will stay in the blue folder until our daughter is home for 12 months and we complete her 1 year post adoptive report (I'm sure I'll talk about those later).  Then we will be moved from there to a sealed file!  Where because of UT law our records will be kept safe and sealed for 99 years!  I'ts kind of strange that our paperwork is done for now.  If we end up waiting until June for a referral than we will need to so more of it again to keep everything updated.  But I'll deal with that bridge later if it comes.
 

Hooray for the blue folder!

  Well friends and family, as our paperwork continues to the State and then to the Department of State and Ethiopian Embassy, we will be keeping everyone updated.  We are so excited to be on this journey, our hearts are full of love and appreciation for all those who have helped us, who continue to help us, and offer encouragement.  Thank you!

I-171H

WE HAVE APPROVAL!!!!!!

  I got the mail on August 12th only 9 days after our fingerprint appointment.  Within my hands was the USICS letter.  My heart dropped, I just knew that we couldn't be approved that quickly.  That and I could see the pink slip of paper through the envelope.  I didn't dare open it, I walked home handed it to Sam and waited for his reaction.  He opened the letter, and sure enough, there was a pink slip in the back of the letter.  I just knew we would have a RFE (request for evidence).  I couldn't handle it any more and begged him to let me see the letter.  He handed  it over and it was our APPROVAL!  I jumped up and down, was SO EXCITED and just amazed at how quickly it arrived.  The pink slip in the back was a request for action slip, that we may use at a later date if we need to update our finger prints or the form.  It wasn't anything big at all.  I don't know about but in my opinion MAKE THE SLIP YELLOW!! Cause I saw pink and about died, as I's so many other adoptive families do.

  While working within the adoption process I've seen families wait the full 8 weeks for approval.  Every time I talk to families I always tell them to expect a 6-8 week waiting period.  Then this happens!  My family received our approval in only 4 weeks!  I received my approval BEFORE a family I was working with, and my finger prints were a week after theirs!  Needless to say I was blown away!

 We are feeling more and more like things are coming together the way they are supposed to.  With our approval coming so quickly, and things falling into place it just confirms that we are on the path that we are meant to be on.  It's exciting to think that maybe the reason our approval came so fast is because our daughter is already waiting, maybe she's just waiting for our end. :)  Can't help but smile.

  Without getting too sappy, I can honestly say our Heavenly Father has certainly put my family on a chosen path. It's amazing how when you put faith in yourself and Him how the world just seems fall in line.

YARD SALE #1

We held our first fundraiser for our adoption!  On August 10th we woke up super early and started setting everything up.  My little sister was sweet enough to let us hold it at her house, seeing how we now live in St. George and our HOA won't allow a yard sale.  She was nice enough to offer her house.  We had a lot of help setting everything, my sisters, mom, husband, brother in law, and niece and nephew were such a big help!  We were still getting things out when people started to arrive.

 Although I had many many compliments and people who were excited to learn of the reason we were having a yard sale I did encounter 1 woman who made a negative remark.  I let it roll off because she still spent $5 at my yard sale!  My goal was to make our authentication fees. And if we made anything more than that fantastic!  We succeeded and surpassed our goal with our sales and a generous donation.  I was absolutely thrilled!  We plan to hold another yard sale August 24th just to see if we can get rid of any other items, if not we plan on donating them.

I completely forgot to take more pictures! This is the only one I took!

Here's hoping our next yard sale is a success as well!

Finger Print Appointment!

 Well we received our fingerprint appointments for August 2nd!  We got the mail, on Friday July 26th and exactly 1 week later was our appointment!  We made arrangements with work, and with Riley to make sure we could make our 11am appointment.
 

 So after a 2 hour drive, and getting totally turned around in Vegas we arrived 15 minutes early for our appointment!  I don't know what I expected, but what I saw was definitely not it!  We filled out another form, once again showed our proof of identity, then was handed a number... 1 & 2 before I could sit down my number (1) was called!  Not exactly sure what to do I followed a gentleman back to his cubical he took my forms entered in my information, then I got electronically finger printed! not a word, he just wiped my fingers and completed each hand. With a quick "thanks" I was done! Sam's experience was very much the same. Not a lot of talking, just get in and get the job done.

  By the time we left the building it was only 11:05am we figured why pass up an opportunity to live it up in Vegas!?!  We did a little shopping, and hung out.  We went and had our photo taken in front of the Las Vegas Sign, it's the first time I've ever had a photo there. (If I remember I'll post it later)  It was a wonderful day!  I love spending time with my amazing husband.  

I-600A MAILED OUT!

Riley had the honor of putting our documents to USCIS in the mailbox!

We are so glad that everything is coming together!  Riley is playing an active part, and enjoying the steps we are taking. (She hasn't had to do the paperwork )