Moving Forward

We're actually moving on to a new stage in the adoption process - YEAH!!! We received our home study (all of the Domestic paperwork) last week (the day before Thanksgiving). This was a huge blessing as we were expecting it to take another few weeks. Our social worker, pushed through and worked her buns off to get it done for us!! After we received this we could travel to Yakima to get our fingerprints with the Department of Justice (we could not get our fingerprints done or even send them in without our official home study). Why travel to Yakima you ask? Well, let me tell you... We could get our fingerprints done here in Bellingham at the police station and mail them in, but the processing would taker another 3-4 weeks. If we travel to Yakima, we get the prints done in one day and then only have to wait the 2-5 weeks of processing instead of tacking on that extra time if we mailed them. Why do you need to get the fingerprints in the first place you ask? Let me tell you... To be able to receive the Visas for our child(ren) to come back to the Unites States, we have to be approved through the government that we're legal citizens, don't have an warrants out against us, we're not on a watch list, etc. They have to clear us legally through all of their systems to show that we're ok not only locally but federally as well. That's how I understand it anyway.

After getting our prints done, we were able to finish up our dossier (all of the International paperwork). We get to mail the dossier and home study in on Monday (Nov. 3rd) to AGCI at which point they will work on processing the paperwork. Once the fingerprints from the Dept. of Justice are approved, they will mail us a "Favorable Determination" letter. At that point, we'll overnight it to AGCI and they will put us on the official waiting list - hooray!! At that point I will be officially done with my paperwork! I will post when all of this happens.

Just wanted to update you all and let you know again that we are so thankful for all of your prayers and support. You are each a blessing to us and we thank God for each of you in our lives!

Here's Tom and I at the Department of Justice after getting our fingerprints. Once more tick off the old clock!