A New Years Miracle

Many people ask us adopters what the latest status report is. That's just part of being in the process. You tell people you're adopting and then those same people spend the next three years asking "when is she coming home?" You can't blame them - you spilled the news and they're just curious and trying to stay up to date. People love communication. It's just giving the same report over and over again, for me, that gets hard.

Now add in a second adoption and you just stupefy people. They say "how's the adoption for...ummm, oops - which one? Is it Kara? No, Kiera? Or, wait - weren't you adopting a boy? Wait, that's another adoption right? Well, how's that one going? Are you still doing the China thingy?" Are your eyes rolling around yet? And so it goes...

Meanwhile - as I've mentioned before, both of our 171-H docs have been being held hostage at the C1S level since early October. And back in late Oct. we were asked for additional information (that we weren't required to provide the first time around), so off we went to track that additional paperwork down - and it took forever. But we finally got it back and sent it off the same day to the govt. And we waited. And then we called (yes, we have a number that actually goes somewhere). And then we waited some more- because a week later they still didn't have it. Gulp - not good. Then the ice storms in Oklahoma hit and the offices shut down. Then the holidays came and the offices shut down again. Yesterday was their first day back. I told AB "they've lost the paperwork - or it got lost in the mail - we're going to have to go through everything again and track down the documents and re-send, etc." I was at my wits end.

Yesterday I prayed in the morning "Lord, please - send me some hope. I miss my children so much. But I will pursue them endlessly if You lead me. Just send me some hope. I need it so bad."

At 5:03pm yesterday, the phone rang and AB picked up. I heard from the other room tidbits of conversation that shot me out of my chair and running for him. When I arrived he was smiling. When he hung up we just stared at each other for a minute and I realized I had my hope. C1S had called (jaw-dropping, I know) and our paperwork had been approved for our 171-H for Quint and our renewal for Keira. They were signed off on, and in the mail to us. We should have them any day now. They just wanted to call because our case had been on their mind and they wanted to make sure that even though they had been totally back-logged due to poor weather, holidays, etc. - our paperwork was finally done.

I just lunged myself into Anton's arms - we had made it. Finally. After so much wondering - and worrying that the paperwork was lost, that we would have to repeat the paperwork for them, etc. and be delayed even further for Quint. Finally - our dossier can go to Ethiopia for Quint and we're all set for another 18 months for Keira's adoption (God willing, it won't take all of those 18 months, but you just never know with this).

Celebrate with us!!! - because we are definitely celebrating any milestones we can scrounge up these days. One more check on the list for our son and one more reminder that perseverance is not giving up until the goal is reached.

Finally for all those who desire to know the latest, we have something different to say! Gotta love getting some new material for once - it's so rare in this process...

On another note: please stop by and love on my friend Robyn, who missed this month's LID cutoff by ONE DAY. I know she has the solid hope of seeing her little Avery next month, but when you've waited longer than anyone has at this point, (2.1 years) it's hard to put on a brave face. She said it best "I guess we should have expected this process to give us one more kick while we were down". The morale of this process is not only arduous, it's downright spirit crushing. She's really holding up well considering - but it would be so nice for her to get inundated with some blogger love as only you all can do it!

HANG IN THERE ALL MY ADOPTION MAMAS - WE CAN DO IT!!! (today's sentiment - tomorrow, no promises - ha!!)