Happy Birthday!

Today, one of our children has a birthday. Of course, several weeks ago, we thought we would be celebrating there.  But we're here, and they're there.

Because we don't have an official referral, we can't send any gifts yet. And when we can send gifts, well, we probably won't go crazy. We have no idea what they have experienced as far as gifts, so we want to be conservative and not overwhelm them.

We got a letter from USCIS saying that they have received our packet. We're hoping to receive the official letter by the end of next week.

We've heard that Poland is really cold, but we have been checking this weather and it's always been very similar to ours.

Hope my next update is more exciting :).

Thankful for...

...One week down for our USCIS approval, hopefully just two to go

...friends who help us handle our wait by giving us chocolate (Mint Meltaways - yum!)

...being this far in our adoption journey

State of Illinois approval

I was so excited to get an email today that our State of Illinois approval letter was in. I picked it up and would have mailed everything off to USCIS, except no mail today :(.

So I will mail it off tomorrow. Then we expect to wait about three weeks for USCIS approval. Once we have that approval, I get to visit the Secretary of State's office for another apostilling adventure. THEN it goes to Poland.


Update the Paperwork Process
Step one - Physicals -  DONE!
Step two - State of IL approval - DONE!
Step three - USCIS approval
Step four - Poland approval
Step five - USCIS approval
Step six - wait 30 days before we can travel
Step seven - meet our children!

Still waiting (but the Thin Mints are gone)

Last time, it took the State of Illinois ten days to approve our homestudy. So a renewal? Less than that, right?

Today marks 15 days. Ugh! When I mapped out all the steps, based on my estimations of how long each would take, I thought we might be leaving in early February, Now I'm not so sure.

I really hope we get our state approval this week!

The Weighting Game

Someone left a nice little package of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies for us. I can't thank anyone for them (or for the other part of the package), because there was no name on the package. But we appreciate them very much.

Why Girl Scout cookies? Well, let's just say that when stress hits, some people start munching.

We are still waiting for the State of Illinois approval. Last week, I got an email that our approval was ready. Then I received a "recall" email. The email had been sent to the wrong people!

I have the envelope addressed and ready to go. One piece of paper needed to complete step two.

Physical done

As of today, Bryan and I have both had new physicals. They have been emailed to our home study agency. The home study will (I hope, oh I hope) be sent to the State of Illinois tomorrow.

Last time, the State took 10 days to approve us. I hope it's the same or shorter this time. Surely it will be shorter if it's just an update, right?

I'm working on our USCIS paperwork now, so we can send that paperwork on as soon as we get State of Illinois approval back.

Update the Paperwork Process
Step one - Physicals -  DONE!
Step two - State of IL approval
Step three - USCIS approval
Step four - Poland approval
Step five - USCIS approval
Step six - wait 30 days before we can travel
Step seven - meet our children!

Bumpety Bump

We hit a speed bump.

We were supposed to be officially approved by an entity in Poland yesterday. It didn't happen, because our dossier doesn't match up with the children's ages, plus our physicals are over a year old, plus they didn't like our background check documentation.

To fix everything (which we had to do anyway; we just weren't planning to do it before the referral was issued), we need to renew and update everything. Each step is dependent on the step before it, so we're looking at a long(er) time. Maybe we will leave by the end of the year, but I think early next year is more likely.

This is frustrating, but I have only to look at the events that rocked our area a few days ago to realize it's not that big of a deal.

This extra time will allow us to do more research, practice more Polish, have time to purge the house to make room...

and move into Bryan's closet :).