nesting

I need to take some photos of the ALMOST complete kitchen-- I am one backsplash away. However, I spent the past two days cleaning the living room/kitchen area. Next is the baby's room. Yea! : ) exciting. There was some people switching jobs in my agency this week which caused some concern. But I am assured all is well and I am still on the list and still moving forward hope hope... Today I got a migraine and it was probably the worst ever. Have no idea what triggered it... but it was scary to be home alone and that sick. So I drove to my folks house six blocks away and slept for three hours on their couch. Little things like that make it better. I am excited to tackle the baby's room-- but right now it is full of all the things I don't really need in the kitchen. All the essentials have been already put away, so it is all the crap I don't want to deal with. That and layers of construction dust that makes me sad. But it will all be worth it and happy and exciting when the crib is put together and it looks like a baby can actually come into my life! :)

That's all for now. Can't think about it too often or I go a bit crazy. That is why the posts are few and far between. I just have to let time pass and let that list get shorter. I think I'll call tomorrow and see if I have moved up at all. Tick tock...

one step closer...

#8 on the BABY BOY LIST.....

waiting waiting waiting....


This weekend was Thespian Convention-- success for many students and a positive experience! All weekend I thought, next year I'll have a baby boy. How will I do this? I imagined him running for days in the halls of the convention center. Nesting continues at home. Can't wait for Winter Break to rearrange and clean! :)

waiting... waiting...

anywhere from 3 to 7 months. tick tock tick tock... my students collected sackfuls of amazing donations to the new IAN orphanage in Ethiopia. It got me excited. But I have to keep a lid on it or I'll go crazy. 3 to 7 months.... waiting waiting waiting...

I'm on the list!

Whooo hoo! Finally! "You are # 15 on the infant girl list and you are # 9 on the infant boy list." These are words I've been waiting to hear. That means my dossier is ready to go to DC and then Ethiopia. I got my i700 back from the USCIS and I am on my way! :)

Hope hope hope

Today I hope I'll get an email from my adoption coordinator that all is OK with my dossier and they can send it in. I also have to wait for my I600 to come back from the USCIS which will enable me to bring an orphan home to the US. However, that is supposed to be back in a week. :)
Ok-- clarification- USCIS Form I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) is done before you know what child you will bring home. This allows the USCIS to first process the application that relates to your ability to provide a proper home environment and your suitability as a parent. Then, once a child who meets the INA's definition of orphan is identified, you must file USCIS Form I-600 (Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative) on behalf of the child.

When I was at IAN on Friday they said that the USCIS had approved me. Cool.

Next step is once I get on the list IAN will try to match me with what I requested on my home study. A boy between infant and 17 months. There are at least 4 families on the list ahead of me wanting baby boys. I might then get an older child-- more toddler age because of that. IAN will send me a photo of a baby and ask for approval. I'll get a minimal medical info chart on the child. I believe I could request further medical testing at my expense. Some people request a video tape of the child and then send that to special international adoption doctors who evaluate milestones of the child via video tape. I don't know much about this part--I have to research it more.

Then once I say, YES THIS IS MY BABY. They work to get me on the court dates in Ethiopia. Once I get a court date, I plan my trip to Ethiopia, about two weeks after the court date (i believe... I could be completely wrong, but this is what I gather). So that is what I am waiting for.

Fin

I turned it ALL in to my adoption agency on Friday--all the redo docs certified by the state. YEA!!! I sat and double checked that all the documents were in. My USCIS is almost cleared and then they will send the whole package to DC to get a green light (usually takes a week or so) and then off to Ethiopia! :) Whooo-hooooo.... I could be on "the list" by Monday! Cross fingers and toes that everything in the Dossier is A-O-K! :) Can't wait to be on the list for a referral....

on my way now...

Since it is "fall break" I have taken advantage of the time off from school. Today I used 1/2 tank of gas-- tomorrow maybe the other 1/2! I ran all over Denver to redo all those documents that were "wrong." And I have to say going to these places in person, makes things happen. From my insurance/hospital to the City of Denver Police Administration building, I got the documents I needed. In the Police Admin building after talking to several people and on a phone to someone upstairs behind the bullet proof glass, the main man who could solve my problem said, "I think God wants you to have a baby" because the man who had been out of the office all day and the other man who was on call for court and could leave at any moment, both walked into his office at the same time to sign and notarize MY document. I was able then to take all my documents to the Sec. of State again to get certified and they should be ready tomorrow at noon(ish). SOOOO tomorrow I should be able to take them all back to IAN again and MAYBE just maybe (cross your fingers with me) I'll get on the list for a referral! :) Yea! And my kitchen is looking good too! :)