I-797 finally came Monday!

So, if you have read my other blog entries, you know we have been waiting what seems like an eternity for the I-800A approval, which is where the USCIS sends you an approval form called the I-797.  Well, it has been about 4 1/2 weeks since our appointment. (An eternity when your waiting and hearing others got it in 3 weeks.)  Anywho.....
We got that and got everything for NC together to send to get apostilled.  So, whats next......
MORE WAITING!  woowoo.  LOL

We are only 1 step away though from turning it all in and sending it off, so I am happy and hopeful. 

So, another 4 weeks or so I am thinking for NC to apostile everything and return it to us.... THEN.....

"put it all together and turn yourself around and that's what it's all about."  (hokey pokey tune)

It will be turned in to go to Poland and then we wait.......... again......... :-)

waiting and waiting

well, we got our apptfor the I800A at the beginning of july and are waiting and waiting for the approval saying we can proceed to get everything apostiled by NC. so we can send our dossier off... but every week seems like further n further away....

Homestudy Finalized. Now to step 2....

Our homestudy was finalized end of May/beginning of June.  WOOWOO! let me first acknowledge that task....... It took just over 4 months -which during the time you are going through it seems like an eternity- but even if you think, oh, I got this, it won't take us that long, oh yes sir, it will, because we were on top of it all, they needed something, BAM, we were on it, but no matter what you do I tell you you will wait on other places and papers and theres no going around the wait and the months it takes.  But we are Done. Done. Done, Yeah Buddy!
OK, now that I have taken a second to give the finalization its 'props' on to step 2.....

We sent our information and I-800A form to the government.  For those who know what this is just skip ahead, for those who don't-- the I 800A form basically is something you fill out and send to the US for them to see who you are and your info etc and say okay, you are good to go forward to adopt internationally, which is what we are doing.  Once they say ok and we do a few things for them to verify who we are and that we are good peoples :) then we will get a form back from them saying we are able to pursue adopting.

Then when we get that form back, we will send it with our homestudy and other documents to NC (the state of residence for those that live elsewhere).   They will apostile everything and send it back.

BAM POW BAM

Then, guess what????......

It will shortly after that be going to POLAND.  Woohooooooo!!  OMG, the light, the light at the end of the tunnel, I finally seeeeeeeee it!!! There it is, I think.... I see.... the light.......maybe??...... I hope...... I know its there.......
:-D   oh yea, getting closer, baby steps, baby steps, but definitely OVER the HUMP of questions and paperwork and I feel and our adoption is getting closer and closer. 


If this post seems a bit 'off' or loopy its because I am. -- off and loopy--  :)  I am tired but kept wanting to write about our steps to adoption.  AND, I am almost done with my work for the summer, then summer vacation for teachers.  So, that has me tired and loopy as well.  So, I am doing so under tired loopyness- which isn't even a word, oh well.  Off to do a few minutes of Yoga before I go get into bed.

Homestudy Finalized!!

Finally! Our homestudy has been finalized, signed and delivered to us for our next step.... the dossier and US government forms. From beginning of homestudy to finalization was just over 4 months.

Step 1 down, 2 more to go.

what would u do?

What would I do during our adoption? Anything and everything.   We are waiting on one little paper from the doctor. They said they would put it in mail by Friday. We wait and wait, nothing in mail. I start calling the doctors office and for days my messages go unanswered. I finally get ahold of the practice managers number and leave her a message too. On my 6th call this week after 5 messages over 2 days I finally get to talk to a human. The letter is finally done today but waiting on a notary which they don't have. I told them I was going to drive down and pick it up but they don't have the notary so they will try to get it complete tomorrow.  Told them I will physically drive
down 1 1/2 hours to pick it up Friday after I get off work to turn around and drive 1 1/2 hours back home. That is where I am with this one last paper we need for our home study to be finalized. I am a determined soon -to- be- mama and you are getting in my way of getting my children! I will get what I need. My determined nature is actually a good thing during this process, well maybe not for those who may have gotten in trouble for not getting their job done or calling me back after 2  days and 5 messages.  But a good trait for someone going through the process to have.  :)

Ok, Maybe now we are almost done with Home Study.... :)

      Wow, when you start this journey you say 3 to 4 months for a home study? nah, we can do it quicker than that.  Then you get into it and realize WOW, there's lots of waiting and papers and redoing papers and waiting and then more papers, oops then there's more papers, okay now back to waiting. You feel like you jump through hoops then that hoop isn't good enough so you have another hoop to jump through, then just when you think you are done with that hoop you realize there's another one to go through, this time higher off the ground and with fire around it... lol. not really but thought the picture was funny in my head.  :)   And you realize, yep, it takes that long no matter how fast you say you'll do your part, because a good portion of the home study is waiting on others.  And it literally takes 4 months no matter how fast you get things done or sent off or any of that.  Thought we were done, but just found out last week we have to redo and gather more papers, again.....
        So, if you are new to the process and reading this, yes, do things quickly, but realize you will wait no matter what, and you may be asked to redo items or gather more items.  And you will have extra papers or have to redo papers.  And it is frustrating and at time you feel like is this ever gonna end, or am I going to do all this in the end to not get anywhere but you have to realize it is not that you are being picked on or it's just you, its everyone, and the more you do to get those things done the brighter the light gets at the end of the 'hoops'.  As another friend whose going through an international adoption as well told me "its the nature of adoption".   Just as I felt like I am at my wits end we get a rough draft of the home study to look over and check and I saw the light again.   Reading the rough draft makes you breathe again and smile and you think, yep, there's the light, these children I am going to meet and love for the rest of my life, that's my light.
       God gives you what you can handle and you don't know the reason behind things sometimes but you know that you have been brought to this process for a reason and maybe one day you'll find out that reason and maybe not but you will persevere and create an everlasting family.  So all your trials and frustrations and emotions and dreams through your life and in this process are to show you are capable of handling these situations. You will learn a lot about your self and your spouse through this and it helps you to plan and think ahead to what type of parents you will be, how you want to raise a child, and who you want to be in life with them.  This is a journey.  A journey for everyone involved- no doubt about it.

Almost done with HomeStudy

OK, had a few more papers to find and send in for the homestudy after the social worker types all our questions and checked the paperwork and everything.  So,sent those in a few days ago to agency.  Now waiting for the others in agency to see homestudy and look over it and then us check it, and I think we will then be able to send it with other stuff off to NC for apostile.  I think.  :) .........