Finally Filed....

Well, it's off! My I600 was mailed today by UPS! (No, we don't get a discout just 'cause Al works there! I was just too late for the post office!) I sent it along with a pathetic letter BEGGING them to process it quickly! (My homestudy expires in 3 days, my fingerprints in 6! I'm hoping that will all be overlooked. Unsensibly optimistic, I know.)



For those of you who don't endlessly stalk adoption blogs, let me clarify:



The I600 is a petition to classify an orphan as an immediate relative. It is sent to USCIS (immigration) for approval. They say it should take no more than two months to be processed. Assuming it is approved, the approval is then forwarded (electronically) to the US Embassy in Accra, Ghana.



The Embassy then supposedly sends a letter or email to let you know that your child's visa packet is ready for pickup at the embassy. (I have a friend stuck at this stage, waiting for word from the embassy. So we'll see how that works out. Hopefully quickly.)



Once the visa packet is picked up, I think a visa interview is scheduled. (The interviews are currently being scheduled a month or two out. Hopefully that'll start moving quicker too.)



After the visa interview(s), the visas are printed in about a week. (As long as the children have passports. I need to check on that again.) At that time, you are free to take your children home!



So, that is the process as I understand it. I could be wrong. Or it could change (which happens more often than not). But it seems like we may be nearing the end of this whole process. Thank God. I am exhausted!
 



Unexpected Phone Calls....

Well, this was one of the best Mother's Day weekends yet. (Although I'm sure next year will be better, since all of my kids will be on the same continent!)




Malorie (my daughter) and I went to visit my mom this morning. (Who, by the way, is the best mom ever!) After we got back home, Malorie painted my nails for me! But it gets even better-



Serwaa & Konto both called today!!! I usually only get to talk to Konto, because his 'big brother' is the one with a cell phone. So, about an hour after I had spoken to Konto, Serwaa called! We spoke for a second, then she said "Where is my seesta?" So, Malorie got to talk to her sister on the phone! I'm pretty sure they had no idea it's Mother's Day! It was SUCH an awesome surprise!



And, to top it all off, I FINALLY got the all-important death certificate (yesterday)!!! I'm filing my I600 tomorrow!
 

Total Misunderstanding....

Oops. I feel like such a moron. I just found out that the long-awaited death certificate was never mailed. The sender thought that I only needed it for the embassy. So it is being held in Ghana until I get to the embassy! Unfortunately, I need it to file the I600 first. I had thought it was being mailed. It was finally obtained, but never mailed!

Not the sender's fault. Not my fault. Just a total misunderstanding. Either way, after the Easter holiday, it will be express mailed.

In more exciting news- I was lucky enough to meet someone who will be adopting from the same orphanage! And the child she is adopting is so special and sweet! I am just thrilled that he is going to get such a nice family!!

Jealousy...

I have to admit it.

I am jealous.


Not just a little jealous. I'm talking about unbearable jealousy.


I have followed so many people's adoption journeys online. There is not one person who started this process the same time as me that hasn't had their kids home for months now. Months.


I'm glad their kids don't have to wait. I'm glad they have families. I'm glad they are finally home.


But what about my kids? They have lived in the orphanage for 5 years now. Almost a year and a half of that time I have been fighting to get them home.

I am tired. I ache for my children. I'm sick of being happy for everybody else. I want to bring my children home.
 
 
So there you have it. Pure, undiluted jealousy.
 

Holding My Breath.....

Today is the day that my children's bio father's death certificate is supposed to be picked up in Ghana!

I hope it is ready.
I hope it is picked up.
I hope it is correct.
I hope it makes it to me soon!

So I am holding my breath...

Birth Certificates.....

We got the corrected birth certificates on Friday! One more thing checked off the ever-growing list! Now if we can just get the elusive death certificate, we can file the I600! I am so sad to say that I will have to file it in the US. We just don't have enough money to fly to Ghana again to file it there. Period.

I absolutely HATE to file it here though. From the time I filed our I600a until the time the NVC forwarded it to Accra was one year! Twelve. Full. Months. I cannot imagine my children living in the orphanage for another whole year while we wait for approval. It kills me. We've been trying to get them home since December of 2009! (And they had already been in my heart for a few months before we decided to go for it!) But we have no choice. Hopefully it will go quicker this time. Please.



Still Waiting.....

For our beautiful children

to come home...