Adoption Update

We found out on Monday that our paperwork was submitted to the adoption authorities in Ukraine on March 23. That was one week earlier than we expected. We now are waiting to hear either that we have to redo something or we will receive our travel date. We, of course, are praying for a travel date because we are so sick of paperwork! I had to change the ringtone on my cell phone so that anytime our adoption agency calls it rings differently than when anyone else calls me. I did this because I was jumping out of my skin anytime the phone rang thinking, "could this be 'the call' with our travel date. "

I pray you have a wonderful Easter!

A bit of a setback

So, we found out today that the Ukrainian government is now requiring two "new" documents. It is really quite silly because the information they need on the new forms is on several of the other forms in our dossier. All they have to do is look for it in the paperwork they already have. But instead they want it on it's own sheet of paper. GRRRR...this means our paperwork will not be submitted on the 16th.

Update

Our dossier is complete and will be on its way to Ukraine by the end of this week. YIPEE!! However, our adoption agency has requested an extension from the Ukrainian government because our paperwork will not be ready for submission by the initial March 9th deadline. We thought we might make the March 9th deadline, but part of our paperwork has to be notarized after it arrives in Ukraine and this cannot be accomplished before many businesses and government agencies are closing for a national holiday. Therefore, our paperwork will not be notarized until after the holiday. Apparently, the Ukrainian government only accepts new adoption paperwork on Tuesdays, hence the having to wait until the 16th to submit our documents.

I am really unsure of how long it will take after the 16th before we hear anything as to when we can travel. I am a bundle of nerves and so anxious to see my son again.

Stinkin' Medical Forms

Ok, I have to vent a little so that I don't cry....

On February 9th, we had our medical forms for our adoption completed by our doctor. I found out earlier this week that the form had an error on it. Not MY error or the doctor's error, an error on the form that the Ukrainian government gave us. But, even though it was THEIR error on THEIR form, they would not accept it until it was redone.

So, on Tuesday morning, I dropped off the new forms with very specific, written instructions to our doctor's office. Here were the instructions, let's see if you could follow them (keep in mind they had already done this for me about 2 weeks earlier):

1. Copy the forms onto your letterhead.

2. Complete the forms.

3. Date the forms with today's date.

4. Finally, have the forms notarized.

Seems simple enough right. I thought so too, but apparently not. What they actually did was complete the forms and THEN copied them onto letterhead. So, instead of having an original signature on the letterhead, I have a copy of a signature on letterhead. What person with a high school education thinks that is appropriate? What government agency is going to accept a piece of paper that only has a copy of a signature on it?

We Got It!

We received our Immigration approval today!!!! Wow, only three weeks. It took 5 months when we adopted Xan. All of our paperwork should arrive in Ukraine by the March 9th deadline.

DSS:
mailed 01/06/10
Approved - 01/29/10

Dept. of Homeland Security:
mailed - 01/29/10
Approved - 02/17/10

Dossier Completed - 2/24/10

Ukrainian Government:
mailed - TBA
Approved - TBA

Travel Date - TBA

Snow...Yes! Snowman...No!

Bucky did get further along in the snowman making process than my mom did, but we left our eyes off of Brennan just a second too long, and SMASH, there went the snowman. Oh well, maybe next year. The kids really enjoyed the snow and played outside for nearly an hour. Bucky and I enjoyed being outside with them.

Xan liked to lick the snow. He's weird, but he's mine!

"I'm gonna get you mom" is written all over his face.

I love how after a snow, God paints the sky a beautiful blue. It makes the snow seem even whiter.

Dossier Complete...almost

We are still waiting on our Immigration approval, but all the documents that I am in control of are complete! YAY! If you have adopted, you know what a RELIEF this is. The dossier can be the most time consuming, frustrating part of the adoption process (being fingerprinted a million times comes in a close second).

It will truly be a "God thing" if our Immigration approval arrives in time for all of our paperwork to be in Ukraine by March 9th. So, I am just sitting back and waiting to see what God does. Ugh...waiting...it is a necessary part of life.