At 10:20 this morning I got the following text from my Assistant Principal
"I just saw the FedEx truck heading into the subdivision"
You see, she knew I was waiting on my last piece of paper for my dossier and her office happens to have a view of the road leading to my house. (Side note: this is how you know you work in the best school ever)!
By 10:50 I was at the bank picking up the cashiers checks I needed to send in with my dossier and by 11:30 I was at my local Quik Pack and Ship.
When I walked in the door I was greeted by this message from the man behind the counter
"Wow, that package just got to your house this morning, you are quick" (side note, this is how you know your local store is better than any big box store)
So now it's in the mail. I felt, all at once, a sense of relief and terror at the moment I handed it over. For a few iffy moments I thought I was on the verge of either passing out cold, or hugging a stranger and crying into his flannel shirt.
I held it together.
(Winning)
So now the big question is what's next? When do you go get him?
And the short answer is still "I don't know". There are lots of steps between now and my traveling. So here's what I'm waiting for, and what I'd welcome prayers for.
My dossier now has to go to China where I wait for it to be logged in, translated, reviewed, and approved. When all that happens I will get a Letter of Approval (LOA). Right now this can take anywhere from 30 to 150 days to receive.
Once I receive LOA, I can request updates!
At that point I will file more paperwork with immigration.
Once that is done and in China I wait for my travel approval.
It seems that the average time between submitting dossiers is anywhere for 4-8 months, but it can always be longer (or shorter).
I am praying for a January travel date and for all paperwork to go smoothly.
So that's where I am.
1 step closer, and a million miles away.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Happy Birthday
Tomorrow is my boy's birthday.
He will be 2 years old.
That means he's spent 730 days without a family.
It sucks.
A lot.
And I considered spending tomorrow wallowing in self pity (it involved eating copious amounts of cake and ice cream).
Like I priced ice cream cakes (killing two birds with one stone...like a BOSS).
But then I remembered how much I dislike whiners, and "poor me's" and debbie downers.
So I decided that tomorrow would be different. Tomorrow I would celebrate adoption, because it is the miracle that will make me a mom.
My first step was to text my friend Jennifer. Her family is in the process of bringing Jonah's future best buddy home from Ethiopia. They are incredibly fortunate to get weekly updates of their boy. Since I can't request updates from China yet, I requested (or demanded...whatever) that Jennifer send me her newest picture tomorrow. Seeing another little boy who is getting ready to come home will make this mamas heart smile.
Step two will involve a very large group of friends gathering at the airport tomorrow evening to welcome Chloe (and her very tired parents) home from China. Chloe's journey to her forever family has been a very long and difficult one, and I imagine a sea of happy tears when we finally seem them step through those security gates.
Step three is to make a donation to my sister who just joined Team Teresa for the Disney Princess Half Marathon weekend (for the record, she is running a 5K, while I will be running around after a 2 year old and a 7 year old...hopefully).
Step four is prayer, lots of prayer. Prayers of thanks for all of the blessings adoption has brought into my life. Prayers for safe travels. Prayers for orphans still waiting for their forever family, and for the forever familes who are waiting to bring them home. And then I will pray, with all my heart, that next year I will get to spend Jonah's birthday with him snuggled up beside me.
And with cake, lots and lots of cake.
He will be 2 years old.
That means he's spent 730 days without a family.
It sucks.
A lot.
And I considered spending tomorrow wallowing in self pity (it involved eating copious amounts of cake and ice cream).
Like I priced ice cream cakes (killing two birds with one stone...like a BOSS).
But then I remembered how much I dislike whiners, and "poor me's" and debbie downers.
So I decided that tomorrow would be different. Tomorrow I would celebrate adoption, because it is the miracle that will make me a mom.
My first step was to text my friend Jennifer. Her family is in the process of bringing Jonah's future best buddy home from Ethiopia. They are incredibly fortunate to get weekly updates of their boy. Since I can't request updates from China yet, I requested (or demanded...whatever) that Jennifer send me her newest picture tomorrow. Seeing another little boy who is getting ready to come home will make this mamas heart smile.
Step two will involve a very large group of friends gathering at the airport tomorrow evening to welcome Chloe (and her very tired parents) home from China. Chloe's journey to her forever family has been a very long and difficult one, and I imagine a sea of happy tears when we finally seem them step through those security gates.
Step three is to make a donation to my sister who just joined Team Teresa for the Disney Princess Half Marathon weekend (for the record, she is running a 5K, while I will be running around after a 2 year old and a 7 year old...hopefully).
Step four is prayer, lots of prayer. Prayers of thanks for all of the blessings adoption has brought into my life. Prayers for safe travels. Prayers for orphans still waiting for their forever family, and for the forever familes who are waiting to bring them home. And then I will pray, with all my heart, that next year I will get to spend Jonah's birthday with him snuggled up beside me.
And with cake, lots and lots of cake.
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