Day 3

Today was a great day. I was so excited to be in DC. I have always wanted to come here to this place where so much history has taken place.

We started off the day in bed. Slept in until 8:20. It was nice. We made it to the metro station around 11 and headed into the city (after getting the metro passes figured out). The girls were very excited about the train and couldn't wait to ride it.

Made it into the city around noon and headed for the Museum of Natural History. Once we got in, it was time for lunch. We paid out the wazoo for food, but oh well. We were hungry and didn't feel like hunting down anything else.

Spent the next few hours checking out dinosaur bones, African animals and spent some time in a butterfly habitat. We also saw the Hope Diamond...that was pretty cool. JK announced that she wanted some Hope Diamond earrings. Several women around chuckled at that. The kid has big dreams...can't fault her for that!

After the museum (which we didn't even scratch the surface of), we headed down the Mall at a leisurely pace toward the Washington Monument. That thing is impressive from a distance, but up close...wow! We had a great time taking photos...we could see the Capitol Building, White House and Lincoln Memorial in the distance. It was an absolutely beautiful day. Perfect for walking around. Can't imagine what it will look like once the cherry trees bloom!

We got back to the hotel around 7:30, got some Subway, bathed the girls and they are now in bed heading for dreamland.

Early day tomorrow...tour of the Capitol Building, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, WWII Memorial...and the real reason we're here...

EG'S FLIGHT GETS IN AT 4:50 IN THE AFTERNOON!!!

So unreal to think that this time tomorrow night, she will be snug as a bug in our hotel room. It hasn't really sunk in yet. It may sink in when I see her lying next to the girls. Or it may not sink in until next week sometime!

We are so excited and have no idea what to expect for tomorrow. Please be in prayer for us and for her, as we work to help her adjust.

A small photo collage of the today!

Day Two

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday. Internet issues at the hotel. They are resolved now.

The day started good...easy start. Lunch was another story. We pulled off at this random (though we know now that it wasn't so random) exit to get gas and get eating so that we could get back on the road.

As we were filling up the van, I called AAI to ask a question about a final health report for EG. Good thing I called. Turns out that there was another POA form that needed to be filled out before EG's travel on Thursday, since another escort was bringing her home. It also needed be notarized...and faxed to AAI...that day. Wow. The prayers went up immediately.

We immediately thought, okay, Lord, how do we take care of this? We were in the middle of nowhere. Looked down the street and saw a bank...they weren't able to help. Phooey. So we drove up the street to a Comfort Suites and asked to use their business center to print the POA form. They were amazingly generous, even though we weren't guests. Next stop...a postal store that did FedEx, DHL and sold mail supplies. They notarized and faxed the form. Wow.

AAI had the signed and notarized POA in less than 10 min, and it was on the way to Ethiopia shortly after. Amazing how the Lord is still taking care of this journey...even 2 days before EG gets home.

So after that craziness, we headed to Baltimore. GPS freaked out as we were heading through DC. Got to Baltimore. Got lost. Got lost again. Finally made it to Charm City Cakes at around 8 pm.

They were filming a show at the time (we were peeking through the windows). The next thing you know, Jeff walks out! To say that we were excited was an understatement. He is one of my faves...love his completely dry sense of humor! He took a few pics (the girls were extremely shy) and we had a little chit-chat, then it was time to head on. We peeked through the windows for a few more minutes and left for Fairfax. We got lost again. GPS was still freaking out. Billie accidentally turned down a one way street...got honked at by 3 vehicles including one very large white truck whose lane we were in (he didn't get very far). Crazy.

We finally made it to the hotel and got settled, had a short visit with my dad and grandma and finally got the girls to bed at around midnight. Yuck.

Here's a few pics from the day! Enjoy!

Day 1

We finally made it to Columbia, SC, for the night.

It's 11:00 pm and we're worn out.

The girls had ballet and gymnastics this afternoon, so we headed out after they were done. Made a stop at Chick-Fil-A, ate dinner and hit the road!

Tomorrow is our long travel day. 8 1/2 hrs to Baltimore, where (if all goes well) we'll stop by the Charm City Cakes storefront for a photo op...it's one of our favorite shows!

After that, we'll head on to our home for the week in Fairfax, VA. Dad and my Grandma (Grandma PolkaDot to the girls) will meet us there to join in the fun of the week!

No pics today. Just sleep.

3 days and counting!!!

She's coming HOME!!

We are overjoyed to announce that our sweet girl will be on a plane bound for DC, next Thursday! Her flight comes in at 4:50, and we will be there to meet it!

To say that we are excited is the understatement of the century!

Just knowing that we will be holding our girl in 10 days is crazy. We are still somewhat shocked by how quickly everything is coming together here at the end!

Her Embassy appoinment is This Wednesday, the 10th. She will recieve her passport and travel visa on Friday.

We got word this past Thursday that the ET Embassy had received the approval form from the NVC and that everything was good to go!

So here we start a new chapter in our family!

We will be blogging about our trip, so check back next week for pics and updates!

On a jet plane...

...our I-600A approval, that is! Our approval made it from the USCIS office in Atlanta to the National Visa Center in New Hampshire last week.

It left the NVC on Thursday and is now on its way to the Ethiopian Embassy. Our agency has our case number for the approval form and is on the lookout for it.

The next Embassy date is Wednesday, March 10th. This is looking very, very likely to be the one that we make.

We will know for sure next week when our approval form is logged in.

But until then...

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!