Embassy

We were submitted to the US Embassy today!  Yay!  One more hurdle jumped!  Now, we need to hear that we're confirmed to go pick up the kids in Ethiopia--within about 3 business days we'll either hear that we can pick a date to go get them, or we'll hear that they still need more info.

I'm off to make some cookies with Sophie (it's spring break, so all the kids are home this week)! 

maybe next time

It looks like we were not submitted to Embassy again.  The document we need has not arrived yet, and when it does arrive it will need to be translated--so even if it arrived today it wouldn't have been ready to submit.

I don't have anything grand to say other than I'm sad.  I'm tired of all the delays. 

Here's a nice note from a family picking up their girls in Ethiopia right now:

You're kids seem to be doing great, they greeted us with big hugs and smiles and loved the picture [we sent a family picture of all 7 of us to each of them].  Hawi seemed much more talkative than I remember and Misikir talked my leg off from the time we got there until we left.  Asking about where T. and T. [their daughters] would live and how close he and Hawi would be to them and other various things.

We played with all the kids for about an hour before leaving, seems like a very happy place.

They are both really great kids.

Misikir had on the W hoodie, it appeared he had been wearing it for a while, we think he is proud to be a Winowiski.

I whispered in Hawi's ear before we left that Mom and Dad would be here soon, she beamed with happiness.
 

need a letter...

We did not get submitted to Embassy today.  I guess our file still needs a relinquishment letter.  Our agency expects to get that right away and be able to submit us next Wednesday.  So, I think I can safely say that means we won't be traveling to Ethiopia in March.

It's been a joke between some of the people at church that we're going to be in Ethiopia over Easter.  Hopefully we'll be home with Hawi & Misikir by then, but who knows?  We were in Ethiopia over Christmas!

We are sending our new family photo (with Hawi & Misikir in it) with a message along to Ethiopia with a family we met during our visit in December.  They will be able to give the pictures to Hawi & Misikir for us.  They are adopting 2 girls, one of which is Hawi's good friend.  I'm sure Hawi will be very sad to see her leave next week.  We are already planning on getting together with that family this summer so the girls can see each other.

update

I just received the following email from our adoption coordinator:

Still no birth certificate that I have seen!  I am asking for them to the point of being annoying.  Y. did confirm that they have the death certificates the embassy asked for on your case.  It looks very, very good to submit on Wednesday. 

 

Liz (a staff member with our agency who is currently in Ethiopia) reported this on your kids:

 

Hawi and Misikir: They are amazing.  Misikir was talking to the W. family today during our visit and was so proud to show them their picture book, and tell them their new last name.  Their English is very good! They are so excited to be coming home.  I told them that their ferangie parents are coming as soon as they can.

 

 Misikir looking at the photo book we gave him.  December 2010

 

This news made my day.

 

No news yet

We don't have any new adoption news to report yet.  Right now we're still waiting for Hawi & Misikir's birth certificates & adoption decree (which should be here any day now).  Once the birth certificates come in our agency can apply for their passports.  I was told that it usually only takes a couple of days to receive passports.  Once we have those things our case can be submitted to the US Embassy on the following Wednesday (cases can only be submitted on Wednesdays).  The US Embassy takes about 72 business hours to either let you know you can pick a date to come get your children, or they let you know that your file is incomplete and they still need additional paperwork (which could prolong bringing your kids home by a couple days or all the way up to a couple months).  Lately about 90% of the cases are coming back as incomplete/requiring additional information.  So, I'm not sure how quickly things will go for us, but we're still praying that we'll be able to go get them this March.  If not in March, then hopefully April.

We passed court (for real this time)!

I got a call this morning from our adoption coordinator letting us know that we passed court--and our newest court date wasn't even until tomorrow!  I'm happy and relieved. Now we can move on to waiting for our Embassy date.  It will take about 3 weeks to get the kids' new birth certificates and our adoption decree.  Then there are some other things that needs to happen (our agency does these things)--get H & M's passports, medical appointments, gather additional documents required by Embassy...once all of that is done and the Embassy reviews all of our documents they will either request more information or give us approval to travel to pick up Hawi & Misikir.  I don't have a good guess as to how long all of this will take (it's been taking longer now due to some recent changes in Ethiopia).  I'm hoping to travel by the end of April--and sooner would be an unexpected blessing.

Also, today is Preston's 11th birthday.  What a great day!

Court on Friday

I'm feeling good about our court date this coming Friday.  Of course, I don't know the future, but I am hopeful that we will pass this time.

My oldest is turning 11 on Thursday.  Time goes so fast.  I still feel much like I did 11 years ago, but time has moved on.  I'm excited to watch each of my kids get older.  I loved having babies, but I think I enjoy older children even more.  I love the things we can do together--especially when we can do those things without hauling around diaper bags, strollers, pack & plays, booster seats, car seats (this list can go on and on and on).  So, I'm excited for Preston to turn 11.  He's a great kid and I love him!

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