YES!!!

WE HAVE APPROVAL!!

As of February 17, 2010, Hiwot Billie Dantzler is considered a beneficiary of a United States Citizen (that would be US)!!

So now we have everything that we need for our Ethiopian Embassy appointment. Our I600 approval should be at the Ethiopian Embassy on March 3rd.

We are praying for a March 1oth Embassy appointment. That could put our Little Miss getting home maybe by the end of March, depending on the escort situation.

So that's where we are...baby steps to Ellagrace, baby steps to Ellagrace...but we're almost done baby-stepping!

YEE-HAW! You'll be home soon, you sweet, smiley thing!

Just an update...

Ok. Here's where we're at.

Our court paperwork was sent to the Atlanta USCIS office sometime in mid to late December, to begin approval of our I600. We have to have the form I600 approved. This form allows the escort to bring little Miss E into the country. For the Atlanta office, this can be about an 8 week process. We are currently somewhere between weeks 6 and 8, depending on when the office received the paperwork.

Our fingerprints expire on the 18th of this month. We had them redone on Tuesday of this week. I have been in contact with a man from the Atlanta office. He has told me that he will try to get our approval before our prints expire. Otherwise, we will have to wait for about a month for our prints to be approved. Then our form can be approved. Paperwork...

After our I600 is approved (we will be notified by mail), I will call AAI and let them know that we have approval. AAI will then notify a lady named Gail that works in Ethiopia. She will then secure an Embassy date for Miss E, and she will receive her passport and travel visa.

AAI only has Embassy dates every other week. If we are fortunate enough to get our approval at the beginning of an "on" week, that would be great! If we get approval after the day on the "on" week, we will have to wait for another 2 weeks for an Embassy appointment. Make sense?

After the passport and travel visa are secured, we will then wait for an AAI volunteer to be on their way home. We may have 7-10 days notice, or we may have less. It just depends.

We also don't know where we will have to go to pick up the little princess. It will either be Washington, DC, or Atlanta. We are praying for Atlanta. For obvious reasons! It will just depend on how flexible the escort is with their schedule.

So that's what we know for now. We are nearing the end, but it's just not coming fast enough for this mama's heart! We are trusting in God's timing though. However difficult it may be at times!

Because we just want our little girl home!! It will surely be a wonderful day when she gets off of the plane though. I'm sure it will feel like a dream. And all of the months spent waiting will seem like nothing.

We love you, Ellagrace!

Mmmmmm....

Now that's a downright yummy photo.

How the person that took this knew that I love shots of little baby hands, I'll never know.

But I'm glad they caught hers.

Health Update on EG

I emailed AAI a couple of days ago, since we hadn't received a health report since our referral.

We got an update today!

She weighs 30lbs and is 34" tall.

Here is the write-up:

"Hiwot was treated for acute otitis media with antibiotic (augmentin) otherwise she is healthy baby and doing fine. She can communicate with peers and her nannies well. She reminds when she want to go toilet and says I want to urinate and kaka. She is playful and happy baby."

I am so glad to know that she is growing and is staying healthy. God is good! We pray for her health and safety all the time!

Can't wait to post more pics! Here's one for the road though...

Court paperwork

Well, we finally received the long-awaited court paperwork.

We passed court on Nov. 11th, and got the official documents on Dec. 19th. Included in those docs was a very special birth certificate.

Here are the highlights:


Name: Hiwot Billie Dantzler
Birthdate: March 20, 2007
Father: BILLIE!!!
Mother: ME!!!


Ahhhhhh.....love it. (Billie says, "She definitely has a great name!")


The stack of paperwork was forward on to the Atlanta USCIS office by AAI on the same day that the docs were mailed to us. That was a couple of weeks ago.


We are praying for our I600 form to just float to the top of the pile. If the Lord desires. It could take several weeks for this form to be finished.


After that, AAI will be notified and we will know about when her embassy date is. An AAI worker will appear at our embassy date in our stead and will take care of getting Little Miss Dantzler's travel visa. Then she can COME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

And that, will be an absolutely fantabulous day!

I also saw another photo of her on Snapfish. The word adorable doesn't do her sweet little face justice!

Boy, do I need to start getting some hair product together...

Ellagrace Hiwot Dantzler

Had to remove the video momentarily. Will re-post after we get little miss home!

WE PASSED!!!

I feel like screaming it from the top of my house!

I called AAI yesterday to see if they knew when our court date would be. The lady that I talked to told me that we had been court approved the day before.

What?!?

Here we were, thinking that we were still waiting to find out about our date...when we had already passed!

So as of Wednesday, Novemember 11th, 2009, our little girl "legally" became our little girl!

Yep. Pretty awesome. So now we can share her name...and photos of course!

Her name is Hiwot (pronouced Hay-wat). It means 'life'. I thought that was quite appropriate! Her full name will be Ellagrace Hiwot Dantzler. Boy, how I love writing that!

We will not be sharing the details of the life she has had thus far, as it is her story and we will allow her to share it if/when/and to whom she desires.

So now we are waiting for her embassy date in Ethiopia, which is when she will receive her travel visa and when we would be traveling (if we were going to travel). Hopefully this will all happen in the next 5 weeks. Since we have chosen to have her escorted, there will be another 5-7 week wait as we don't know what volunteers will be in Ethiopia and when they will be coming back to the states.

With our bundle of joy!

I'll share details as we know them.

But for now...

This is our most recent picture. We received it last Friday. I have many, many more. I will be working on a slideshow this weekend and will get it up ASAP. We do actually have one where she is smiling!

Stay tuned!