We Passed!

...our fingerprints did, that is!

So now we just continue the wait. For our 171H. The Atlanta office apparently moves very slowly. They are currently processing the applications from March 2008.

If that lack of speed continues, that would put us having our 171H by September or so.

Only one problem. If we have our referral this spring and if we pass court the first time (before the rainy season starts in August) then Ellagrace can't leave the airport without that piece of paper.

Again, something else that is completely out of my control. Oy vey...

Just have to keep remembering that the perfectly ordained time for our family will happen when it's supposed to.

Can't really do anything else!

Two months...

...waiting for our referral! Doesn't seem like it's been that long already, even though I know that 2 months is really nothing in the grand scheme of this whole process.

I got an e-newsletter from AAI today. There are about 63 babies or so in the orphanage there. An influx.

I couldn't help but wonder, "is one of those babies mine?"...

In reality, the answer is "probably not"...there's no telling how many AAI families are in line ahead of us.

Then it hit me. I am almost desperate to see her face.

This is the hardest part...the waiting.

Now don't get me wrong. I have plenty to keep me busy! And they're all under 45" tall!

Between homeschool, church, a few photo shoots here and there, spending time with my hubs, and trying to carve out time for myself when I can, there have been days that I hardly think about this process. And that's just the honest truth. Now that the paperwork is done, there's nothing staring us in the face on a daily basis.

So now here we are, two months into the wait and I get this e-newsletter, and I'm almost in tears because I am so ready for that phone call.

But since today is not the day, I will continue to wait for the day that He ordained for our family when the foundation of the world was laid.

And that's the only thing that keeps me together.

Cool news...

We received a letter from AAI while we were gone over Christmas.

Basically, it said the wait time for a referral of an infant is now shorter than we had been previously told.

Referrals are now being made to those whose dossiers were sent to ET at the end of July.

So if this affects us at all, that could possibly mean that we could expect a referral toward April or May. Or not. Who knows.

So our prayer is that we receive a referral and our court date before August, when the courts shut down for rainy season. For 3 months.

So that's all we know for now.

Just one step at a time.

But we sure are ready to see our girl's face!

Just thinking...

We spent Friday afternoon/evening putting up and decorating our Christmas tree.

We do this each year and end the day watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the glow of the tree lights, while munching on cookies and drinking hot chocolate.

The girls love helping with the tree and each year look forward to hanging their ornaments that we have been collecting since they were born. (When they are all married and have their own trees, mine will be so empty!)

I usually hand out the ornaments and Billie assists with the hanging, to avoid the "cluster" effect.

As I watched my girls do something that is so normal to them, my thoughts drifted to the daughter that I've not had the privilege to meet yet.

What will she think of this tradition that we have? Will she approach it by jumping in with both feet, or will she hang back to see what happens?

Will she even be old enough to realize what we are doing? Or will she be so young that she just merges into this part of our family like she will merge into so many other aspects of our family life? Just as a newborn biological child just "picks up" these things that we do as a family.

Then I started thinking about the fact that we could have her home by next Christmas.

Wow.

That's an exhilarating and terrifying thought all at the same time.

What a blessing for Billie and I to have one more daughter to love and teach about the greatest Love of all.

What a blessing for our girls to have one more sister to share a room with...laugh with...play with...fight with...and love.

What a blessing for our family to have one more daughter with which to share the true meaning of Christmas.

This season, I am so thankful for this journey that the Lord has brought us on. It hasn't been without its bumps in the road.

But because of those bumps we will be even more grateful when we reach our destination.

Fingerprints...check!

Yesterday was the long awaited fingerprint appointment. We drove to Atlanta on Monday night and stayed at a hotel in order to avoid having to make the drive from Hawkinsville (2 1/2 hours) for our 8am date with the Dept. of Homeland Security.

We were a tad late, having underestimated the back roads traffic...it's been so long since we've lived in a busy city!

We had to leave everything in the car. No purse, camera, cell phone, etc...I'm surprised that they let us bring the girls in!

I was assisted by a rather nonchalant gentleman...I didn't feel the need to explain to him just how important his job was at that very moment!

Billie and I were both finished about 20 minutes after we walked in the door. I felt that there should be more waiting since we had driven so far...but they wouldn't have accommodated me anyway.

So that's that. Pretty unexciting if you think about it, but a rather necessary part of this whole journey. So that makes it exciting for US!

Also found out today that our dossier was sent to ET last Friday, which just happened to be Billie's 31st birthday! It arrived on Monday. I'm not sure how AAI works as far as our log in date is concerned.

I'll let you know just as soon as I know!

For now...we're on our way!

Alright!

We have a fingerprint appointment! Just got back from Atlanta today and we get to go back next Tuesday. Our appointment is for 8am, so we will probably crash with some friends on Monday night, so that the 2 hour drive isn't quite so brutal.

Just one more step down...a few more to go!

Good times...

Today I received an envelope from the Dept. of Homeland Security. Seems our I600A made it to the right place. Finally.

Hopefully in 2-4 weeks we'll have a fingerprint appointment.

The paper says that this should be finished in the next 90 days. We'll see.

You know how government stuff goes!

Anyway...a bit of relief that everything made it to where it's supposed to be.

Now on to more waiting!