I600, check

I finally have some good news, our I600 is in the hands of USCIS, yippee! For those of you not in the adoption world, this is a HUGE step. It really is almost the end.

There are two I600s in international adoption. The I600a approves parents to adopt any anonymous orphan as stipulated by their home study. The I600 approves those same parents to adopt specific children- Sara and Nalya. USCIS is the immigration people, technically the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Our I600a was approved back in February of this year.

Lately this approval has taken other families about 2-6 weeks. Knowing our timeline for this adoption, I am guessing we will be on the far side of that. Then the US embassy in Kinshasa has to interview Nalya's birth mom before their visas are issued and I can finally go get them. Now, my birthday is the 13th, that approval in the mail would be the best gift ever (you think God or USCIS gives gifts like that? Hmmm). 

Technically there is a chance we could all be celebrating Christmas together! As always in the adoption process though, nothing is set. Being November, I have to say I am so thankful to be one more step closer to bringing my girls home. Whew!

Checking In

I am still alive, in case you were worried about it :) The last few weeks and tonight also have been so emotionally difficult when it comes to the adoption that I have not been able to make myself write about it.

No worries about the girls, they are good. In fact they seem to be thriving at the transition house they are in. We have received many photos and personality updates from both the agency and other parents going to get their babies. Nalya is difficult, serious and sad- sounds like a challenge for sure! Sara is quiet but happy. Strange how I feel I know these kids when really they are strangers.

Unfortunately the future of getting them is so uncertain. Due to the one living parent's serious health issues she is completely unable to travel for the needed embassy appointment in Kinshasa. We could be looking at upwards of 9 more months before the US embassy says OK, she doesn't need to get here herself. I feel like this woman is practically family, and knowing her story is heartbreaking and overwhelming. It is not my place to share it though, just know she is simply amazing and strong.

So, just like all adoptive parents out there I will keep checking email, waiting for photos or some miracle to happen. I have to believe the miracle will happen and the girls will be so worth it no matter their ages; otherwise I just may not make it through this process sane anymore. Just keep swimming!

Sheer Awe

When this journey started I had no clue what we were in for. In the last year I have learned so much about a country that is invisible to much of the world. I have grown to love a country and the average people of a place known for corruption and war.

The daily events and sheer unbelievable stories people in the Congo endure take my breath away. In particular, the stories of both Sara and Nalya's birth moms leave me in awe of these incredible women. Tonight I sit here thinking of Nalya's birth mom in particular. I hope she knows she is not alone in this world and the sacrifice of her daughter shows bravery and love I hope to someday show myself. 

I feel lucky to be able to tell my girls about the amazing people they come from. So, Nalya's mom I am thinking of you and whatever happens we are with you in spirit. The gift you have given us can never be repaid, thank you.

I'm Done...

     I am pretty sure the lack of knowing anything about when we can get our girls is slowly killing me. There is no reason to not have an embassy appointment at this point.
    What I do know is our girls have completed their passports, medicals, move to the transition house and had their birthdays. What I do know is they did get a birthday celebration complete with cakes and hats and cheetos. This make me happy! If nothing else the girls are in a better home now and are well cared for.
     But, today I feel hopeless. Another Friday is here with no answers or foreseeable future of when it will be our turn to have "Gotcha Day". Now I understand why people get pregnant instead of adopting, it is the hardest thing I have ever done. This holiday weekend I vow to find a new hobby, keep my mind busy and do my best to be optimistic we have gotten this far...
      
    

4 Years, 2 Years

Today our daughter Sara should be celebrating her 4th birthday. Instead, she probably doesn't even know it is a special day for her. Friday, Nalya turns 2. She also will not know it should be a day of celebration for her life and who she is.

Their birthday week has been my goal for 10 months of when we would be together, so this week is hard for me. On one hand I am so happy our girls have beat some pretty terrible odds and have lived another year. On the other hand we should all be together! I can't help but be frustrated and angry at the Congolese workers who can't edit their work putting us weeks behind, I can't help but be jealous of the other families only days away from their embassy appointments, and I can't help but be sad that I have missed 4 years and 2 years of some pretty amazing kids lives.

We went ahead and had our own birthday celebration for them- who can resisit a reason to party? We sent a care package to the girls with party hats, stuffed horses (Matt's pick), candy, balloons, bracelets, puzzles and a recordable book so I could read them a story. We also got cupcakes and blew out candles with wishes for each of them (bet you can't guess what we wished for :)).

So, Happy Birthday girls!  We love you lots and are celebrating your lives...I hope you can feel it from a world away.

Uh oh!

I wonder if the people working hard on Congolese adoptions say this a lot. So far our court papers, Congolese passports and pre-embassy papers have all had mistakes, have all had to be reissued and retranslated so they can all match each other exactly.

I have heard most Congolese paperwork is done on typewriters or by hand. I can't imagine any American office still working this way, so I do understand problems arising from it. But, each mistake puts us back weeks from meeting our girls. Each mistake we hear about gets "Again! No!"- and probably a big sigh from our agency catching all these mistakes.

So, as you can guess, we still do not have an embassy date because of some overworked Congolese secretary forgetting to add last names to the last papers sent in. Now, we are holding our breath and praying we can still get a date this month and meet the girls next, but who knows?

The next thing I am worried about after getting a date is finding Nalya's mom for her interview. She could easily have disappeared on the streets of her city, so pray she is found and is happy her baby can come to America to very excited parents.

"The keys to patience are acceptance and faith. Accept things as they are, and look realistically at the world around you. Have faith in yourself and in the direction you have chosen"
Ralph Marston

Eight?

Well, it looks like it will be closer to eight- Eight long weeks from when I last posted, not five. The girls got their passports, but in true Congolese fashion there were mistakes in their names so we have to wait a bit longer.


I will not be with them for their Birthday week. Next year we will have to celebrate five years of birthdays for Sara and three for Nalya. Don't worry, I don't plan on really having five different parties or five years worth of gifts (it might be tempting though, hmm).

Hopefully the new passports will come out this week and we can get an embassy appointment early next week. And hopfully the embassy has an opening next week... I know, I know, a girl can dream right? It will probably be closer to four more weeks until the embassy and then two more weeks until we go.

Some good news is we got updated photos of the girls and OMG- I am in love! Sara is eating a lot of something yummy and has gotten it all over herself - she will fit right into the family! Nalya has hair and she smiles, she actually smiles! It is the first time we have seen it, and it is amazing. Her hair is great too, but I have to wonder how she was almost bald last month and now her hair is in a ponytail. Hair extensions on a two year old?

One thing for sure, you have to admire the hairstyles Congolese women have, they are to die for!

So, here we are waiting and dreaming the US embassy has a magical appointment ready for us in the next few weeks so I can meet my girls this month...I will keep you posted.