Everything on Our End is Done

We received our 171H on Monday!  Start to finish, it took two months.  The age is wrong on it, but it shouldn't be difficult to fix.  It says we're approved for a child age 0-3.  But Little E turns three very soon, so the age should be 0-4.  This needs to be corrected by the time we have our embassy appointment to get his visa, which will hopefully be early next year.

It's a relief to be done with the last piece of paperwork on our end!  We are, unfortunately, ready to be submitted to court right as they close for two months for the rainy season.  Hopefully, we'll be submitted as soon as everything reopens at the end of September.  We are a little frustrated with the timing, but as I was doing my Bible reading this morning I came across this verse:


For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11
I am sad because I don't understand how Little E being in an orphanage for over a year and a half can be part of the plan.  But today I realized that I should look at this verse from Little E's perspective.  God is not just promising to give me a hope and a future.  He's promising that to Little E, too.  We have to trust in His divine plan, not only for our own lives, but also for the lives of those around us.  Little E is in a place where, by all accounts, he is very loved and very well cared for.  That gives us such peace as we wait. 

We recently got word from Brittany's Hope, our granting organization, that we have successfully fulfilled all of our obligations to them!  We are so grateful to them and the work they do to bring children home to their forever families.  You can learn more about their organization here: Brittany's Hope

Now we need to decide if we are getting vaccines and if so, which ones??  This is a difficult decision for us, since we've just recently moved from being a non-vaxing family, to selectively vaxing.

In other news, I'm starting the kids back to school next week.  The last of our curriculum should have arrived by then.  *fingers crossed*  We usually don't start until the third week of August, but I don't want to be worried about the time we'll have to take off while I travel to Ethiopia twice and we adjust to having a new little guy in the house.  Besides that, the kids are to the point where they beg to be on the computer or Wii constantly.  It is time.  :)

And, finally, we are officially counting down to Justin's law school graduation in months instead of years!!  Ok, technically it's exactly a year away --- but I'm choosing to call it 12 months and it's downhill from here.  C'mon next August!!

Mama Bear

We are hearing that the US Embassy is supposed to be back up to a full schedule of appointments in August.  Our agency has not confirmed this, but I did get an email directly from the Embassy and that's basically what it said.  So, yay, for that and hopefully it's true!  There are many little ones waiting to come home and my heart aches for all of them.

Even more so, of course, for Little E.  In just a few weeks he will celebrate his third birthday.  It will be his second one while he's in care.  It's really difficult to think about no one making a big deal for him.  Will anyone even know or give him a hug or make him feel special?  

I'm not handling the emotion of all this very well right now.  I know that the thing everyone says about international adoption is that it's completely unpredictable.  I'm usually a laid back, roll with the punches type of person.  But, with this whole adoption thing and the unexpected bad news twice this month, the mama bear in me is reacting big time.  I know that God's plan and timing is perfect.  But, it's really hard to understand how that includes Little E sitting in an orphanage for the better part of two years while we desperately battle against things that are so big and so out of our control.

The other bad news that could affect us is that there is a slowdown with the USCIS processing times.  People have been getting their Notice of Favorable Determination [171H] in ten days to two weeks.  The rumor is that it could now take 60-90 days.  We're two weeks and three days past fingerprinting.  Justin called to find out our case status yesterday and nothing worthwhile really came from the conversation.  Basically, we're moving toward the top of the list to be adjudicated.  I'm hoping that means that they've looked at all of our stuff and it's in order and just needs to be presented to an officer, or whatever the process is.  I'm afraid it means that they haven't even looked at our stuff yet and won't until we get to the top of the pile.  Our agency says USCIS is putting out a lot more requests for additional info before issuing the golden ticket aka 171H.  I'm praying we don't get caught in a snafu with this.  The 171H is what we're waiting on so we can be submitted to court.

But if we do get slowed down, at least it's during the rainy season.  The courts will be closed from August 6 to September 26.  It's looking like Little E will definately not be home this year.  I'm hoping now by the end of January.

We're starting back to school early [August 2], so that I don't have to worry about the kids not doing school while I'm gone to Ethiopia twice.  Not that I have all of my curriculum yet.  That would make too much sense!!  My mission for the weekend is to get everything ordered.  Hopefully that will take my mind off of The Wait.

If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day. Habakkuk 2:3

Sad News

We found out yesterday that the US embassy in Ethiopia has cut the number of visa appointments each agency has every month in half - from 20 per month to 10.  This is extremely discouraging news.  Several families who were supposed to travel today to found out yesterday that they would have to wait two more weeks.  For the rest of us, it means a wait that is twice as long.  After we pass court.  After the children are legally ours.  Instead of 8-12 weeks, it could easily be six months.  It's an outrage.  The number of adoptions in Ethiopia has skyrocketed over the past decade.  The embassy should be adding staff and appointments, not doing just the opposite.  

For us specifically, it means that Little E will probably not come home this year.  He's already been in care for almost a year and there's no end in sight.  He has special needs and will require therapies once he gets here.  All of that will have to wait, while the embassy deals with staffing issues.

Please help us get Little E and all of the other waiting children home as fast as we can.  Go to this website:  http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Find your senators and send them an email.  If you don't know what to say, copy and paste what is written below.  Thank you for your efforts and support.  Please keep us, all of the other families affected by this, and the precious children waiting to come home in your prayers.

My friends are adopting a toddler boy from Ethiopia and were just notified that their adoption process is greatly delayed due to a shortage of staff at the US Embassy in Ethiopia. The agency's usual 20 appointments per month will be immediately cut back to 10 appointments.

Many of these children are already legally adopted by US citizens and are only waiting for the Visa appointment to come home. The usual wait from passing court to Visa appointment is 8-12 weeks. That time will now be doubled to nearly 6 months.  It is heartbreaking for families who have been longing to bring their children home for many months.

There are many New Mexico families who have adopted and are in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. Please contact the US Embassy in Ethiopia and see what can be done (more staff, etc) to maintain the usual 20 Embassy appointments per month per agency.

Hope We're Not Criminals

Yesterday, we completed the final step in our adoption process that we have any control over at all.  Sooooooo exciting to be this far in the process! 

We got our fingerprinting done for the USCIS.  When we get this approval, we will be cleared by the government to bring an adopted child into the United States.  KJ is worried about it though.  She's scared that we're criminals and don't know it.  She's a worrier, that one.  Me, I'm thinking a little jail time couldn't possibly be that bad.  I mean, don't they do your laundry and make your meals and they have TV.  Almost like a little vacation.  Hmmmmm....

Sorry.  Got lost in a little daydream there.  Back to the matter at hand.  It only took 20 minutes for both of us to be printed.  It's all computerized and the women were really nice.  They let the girls come back with us [Cade was at a friend's house] and showed them the equipment and explained the process.  Kind of like an unexpected field trip.  If we weren't on summer break, I totally would have counted it as school time.

Now the really hard waiting begins.  We wait for this approval.  We wait to be submitted to court.  We wait for the rainy season to begin and end.  We wait to travel for court and then to travel again to bring Little E home. This reminds me of one of my favorite songs - the video is below! 

We will use this time to prepare, to learn, and to grow as we anxiously look forward to bringing a new son into our family.  We will hope in the Lord, so that once Little E is here we will be able to meet and deal with his specific special needs and adjustment.

...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:31