More Milestones

We hit another major milestone in the adoption process today.  Over the weekend, our notarized copies of our home-study came in the mail.  We were waiting for those, because I needed one to send with a packet of paperwork to US Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS).  I had already filled out the I-800a application as well as made copies of all the necessary documents including birth certificates, our marriage license and our passports.  The pile was merely waiting for the missing home-study.  Today, hubs ended up being home as he had jury duty and was dismissed by 9:30am.  So, between Juliet's morning and afternoon naps, we went over to the bank and got the two cashier's checks for DHS, and then hustled over to the post office to send the paperwork packing!  We wanted to get it out ASAP, because it will probably take six weeks for them to grant us approval.  The sooner it gets done, the sooner we can bring our daughter home.

While we wait, I need to start working on our next set of paperwork, our dossier.  Basically, the government of the country we are adopting from requires a huge packet of paperwork.  This is my time to get it together.  In about three weeks, we will have to be fingerprinted (for the 3rd time) before our approval is complete.  Once the dossier is complete, I have the feeling everything is really downhill.  There are some other sets of paperwork we must fill out and file with the correct entity, but the home-study, USCIS stuff, and the dossier are the biggest pieces of the pie.  Also with the dossier come some BIG financial pieces of the pie.  Fortunately, we still have enough money in our adoption savings account for those charges.  Whew!

Another task we accomplished this week was filling out our special needs checklist.  As you may or may not be aware, we have made the decision to adopt our daughter from her country's special needs program.  As part of that, we had to fill out a huge checklist as to what needs we'd be willing to accept.  It was a lot of work!  For example, do you know what thalassemia is?  How about fallot of tetralogy?  Or try this one: hydrocephalus.  So, we had to do a little research.  In addition to all the research, this process was truly emotionally taxing.  It's so hard to say, "We will accept a child with this condition, but not with that one."  We really had to make it a matter of  prayer, and the whole checklist took us about two weeks to fill out.  However, now it is complete and was just yesterday emailed to our agency's director.

This checklist is very important.  Every month, the country we are adopting from releases some children from the special needs program onto another program for children that have not been adopted out.  Hypothetically, we could be matched with one of these children in the next couple of months, rather than waiting to receive our referral until after our dossier has been submitted.  Our hearts thrill with the knowledge that we could see our sweet daughter in just a few short weeks.  We long to have a face and a name to pour over in prayer.  We long to know her and grow to love her more and more.

Finally, I want to end this post with some things I've been praying for my new daughter.  I pray for her often; today, I prayed for her during my morning walk with Juliet.  If you'd like, I ask you to please join us in praying these things over our daughter:
~ I ask that His hand of protection would be over her both physically and emotionally.  I ask that she'd be spared from any physical or emotional abuse or neglect.
~ I ask that her innocence would be protected and preserved.
~ I ask that she would be as healthy as possible, and able to travel when the time comes
~ I ask that He would prepare her tiny heart to make the transition to our home.  Also, I ask that Juliet would welcome her new sister in and adjust well too.
~ I ask that wherever she is, her needs are being met; for food, for love, for shelter, for medicine, for attention, etc...  I ask for loving caregivers for her.
~ Finally, I ask for peace and patience as we wait to welcome her home.

This road isn't easy.  Those of you who have walked it know that well.  But I believe in the end it will be so worth it.  Thank you so much for praying for our daughter.  Words cannot express our thanks for your prayers and encouragement!