A Process and Travel Update

The most commonly asked question we've gotten recently is, "When will you go?" The short and honest answer is that we simply don't know. Most likely, the very earliest we could go is November, but it could be into January or February before we're able to go and pick up the girls.

So where are we in the process and why can't/don't we know when we'll leave?

Before I dive in, I'll answer a question that many of you may have. I certainly had it before I entered the world of international adoption. What is an apostille (and this matters because I'll reference it several times in the below paragraphs)? An apostille is a verification of a notary. So everything that has to be notarized, which is a LOT, has to be sent to the state where it was notarized (or Washington, D.C.) - for a FEE of course - to be verified that the notary is indeed a notary and a notary on the date claimed to be a notary.

For those of you on FB, either my personal or adoption page, you know that as of TODAY we have documents that have made it to our girls' country. Eight documents have made it. We have about 35 more to go! Of those 35 or so, 2 have been apostilled in TN  (our marriage certificates) and we have received those back, but they weren't back in time to mail with the other 8. Twenty-three more are currently at the NC Secretary of State's office to get apostilled, and we should have those back this week.

We have turned in all documents and completed our meetings for our home study. That should be finalized in about three weeks. At that point, we'll have 2 original HS copies as well as 2 copies of our social worker's license as well as 2 copies of the HS agency license. Those 6 things will then go to the NC Sec of State's office to get apostilled. At the same time we're sending those off to be apostilled, a copy of our home study will be on its way to USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). Once they process this, we'll get an appointment for more FBI fingerprinting. Once THAT is done and they review our fingerprints and our home study, we'll get a document that states we are favorable for adoption, and we will be able to move forward.

With that document and one other, we'll be DONE with paperwork. After those are apostilled, all of this will be sent to our girls' country where our dossier will be complete and translated. Once it's translated, we'll be submitted. Then we wait for our travel date.

With all that in mind, in my guesstimation, the earliest our dossier will be completed will be late Sept - mid Oct. It could take longer. Travel dates seem to be happening, at this point, approximately 10-11 weeks from submission. If you've quickly done the math, you see that we could be running into the holidays. This is not a factor for us as far as travel in concerned. We'll go when we're given the go! But things slow way down in the girls' country as many EE government offices take off LOTS of time around the holidays. We may travel over their holidays. We may have to wait until certain government places open up in mid-January. It's ALL up in the air.

And believe me. As soon as we get our travel dates.. and really as soon as we hit these larger milestones, paperwork from USCIS, completed dossier and dossier submission, we'll be shouting from the rooftops. Especially about travel.

So that's where we are.

And in the meantime while dealing with paperwork and appointments, we're fundraising and praying and reading and getting the girls' room ready and enjoying our boys and getting ready to gear up for another year of homeschooling. And thinking about Lily & Stella all.the.time.

                                    'Lily'                                                    'Stella'

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