The Journey Continues: Trying Not to Lose It!

Adoption Time Line

4/3/08 - God revealed to Pat that Ethiopia is where our next child is.

4/5/08 - Pat told me tonight that God has given him such a peace and that we are going to proceed with our adoption from Ethiopia.

4/7/08 - Contacted several agencies - have it narrowed down to 2 agencies.

4/8/08 - Felt led to one agency - Gladney - contacted them and emailed preliminary application to Debra for agency approval to move forward.

4/9/08 Phone orientation with Debra, 7:30 a.m. Began the task of gathering information and prepared to move forward.

4/10/08 - Received email with agency paperwork in pdf. Printed and began completing paperwork.

4/11/08 - Completed and mailed I600A to USCIS in Memphis.

4/15/08 - Mailed 1st packet of paperwork to Gladney.

4/15/08 - Fingerprinted by the Smyrna Police Department for our FBI clearance.

4/16/08 - Fedex'd FBI clearance request and fingerprints on both of us to the FBI.
4/18/08 - Jadyn and Zachary's medical exams.
4/20/08 - Completed packet of paperwork to Lisa, our social worker.
4/21/08 - Pat's medical exam.
4/22/08 - Mailed second grouping of paperwork to Gladney.
4/23/08 - Received aknowledgement of petition from USCIS - fingerprint letter to follow.
4/25/08 - Sent paperwork group #3 to Gladney.
4/25/08 - Received fingerprint appointment letter - Appointment scheduled for 5/6/08 at 9:00 a.m. - Just realized that Pat will be out of town at that time. Yikes!
5/1/08 All information in and appointment done for our home study to be completed.
5/6/08 - Amy fingerprinted for USCIS - warned by woman to not be surprised if they are rejected. She said that I have "worn" off my fingerprints. Huh? Rescheduled Pat for 5/8/08.
5/7/08 - Received FBI clearance packed. Pat's is complete, Amy's rejected. Must be re-fingerprinted and resubmit.
5/8/08 - Home study to Gladney.
5/8/08 - Pat fingerprinted for USCIS.
Amy is re-fingerprinted at the Smyrna PD for FBI clearance. Over nighted it back to West Virginia.
5/17/08 - Received rejected fingerprint notice from USCIS for Amy. Scheduled to be re-fingerprinted on 5/27/08.
5/22/08 - Received FBI clearance packet for Amy - passed!
5/27/08 - Amy is re-fingerprinted at the USCIS office. Lady stated they only make you return one time, so this should be it.
6/2/08 - Received notice by email that Gladney cases are on hold in Ethiopia as there is an investigation into some paperwork issues of a person that is NOT an employee of Gladney. All cases are on hold.
6/4/08 - Received Gladney's formal approval into the Ethiopia program.
6/11/08 - Phone conference call with Pat, Amy and Jessica Brost, our caseworker regarding placement of child.
6/13/08 - Emailed entire dossier that is completed to date to Jessica for approval.
6/19/08 - Received a few corrections from Jessica - these are done.
7/11/08 - Received email from Abby Reeves - she is now our new caseworker instead of Jessica.
7/16/08 - Still waiting on I171H.
7/28/08 - Emailed Charlotte Jackson at Lamar Alexander's office regarding processing of I171H. She will check and get back with us on Thursday.
7/31/08 - Received email back from Sen. Alexander's office. USCIS states should receive decision within 2 weeks. Email states home study received 6/27/08 and FedEx states they received in on 5/27/08. Hmmm? Could this be a sign of inefficiency?
8/6/08 - Received request for more information from USCIS. Information requested in crazy, but must comply within 1 month. Contacted Lisa and she will reword home study and prepare it to be sent off by Friday. Emailed Lisa scanned copy of request from USCIS.
8/7/08 - Emailed Governor Bredesen's office and Senator Alexander's office with discrepencies in dates etc. with USCIS.
8/7/08 - Completed and signed question on form from USCIS and sent to Lisa to include with home study changes.
8/8/08 - Email from Lisa - information sent to USCIS today.
8/8/08 - Receied email from Charlotte Jackson in Sen. Alexander's office stating if we have not receive a reply from USCIS by 8/13/08 to let her know and she will "remind" them.

8/18/08 - Emailed Alexander's office - AGAIN!

8/18/08 Called Bart Gordon's office - spoke with Jim Stubblefield - he will check with his contact and get back with me ASAP.

8/21/08 - Received response from Alexander's office - will have approved information in hand within the week.

9/2/08 - Emailed Memphis via email address that someone gave me.

9/2/08 - Emailed Alexander's office - AGAIN!

9/3/08 - Received email from Memphis - anticipated completion of case is the beginning of next week-should have approval in hand by end of next week.

9/4/08 Received email from Alexander's office-decision should be rendered by end of next week.

9/8/08 - SW received email stating application was approved on 9/6 and went out in today's mail.

9/9/08 - Still no I171H, maybe tomorrow?

9/10/08 - Received our I171H in the mail today - Hallelujah!

Took all documents for county certification.

9/11/08 Took complete dossier to the Secretary of States office to have them State Sealed. Now will scan everything and burn onto a disc and send to Gladney ASAP.

9/12/08 Scanning.

9/13/08 Finished scanning this morning - sent dossier to Gladney - yay! It's out of my hands!

9/16/08 Received email from Abbey - we officially on the waiting list! Hooray!

9/22/08 Email from Abbey - Our dossier has officially made it to Addis!

10/14/08 On the waiting list for 1 month.

11/11/08 2 months waiting!

12/9/08 3 months on the waiting list!

1/6/09 Waiting for 4 months!

2/3/09 Twenty (20) weeks on the waiting list today!

2/6/09 Referral!!! Received the call at 1:28 p.m. today. What a blessing, she is beautiful.

2/27/09 Received court date today - exactly 3 weeks from our referral. Court date is scheduled for May 22, 2009.

3/6/09 Received update #1 with 2 pictures. Her hair is growing back!

3/31/09 Received update #2 with two pictures. They are precious, love that smile.

4/16/09 Received update #3 with 1 picture. She is up to 24 lbs. :)

5/6/09 Received update #4 with 1 picture.

5/19/09 Received update #5 with 1 picture. Head shaved again.

5/22/09 1st court date - did not pass, new court date issued for 6/1/09.

6/1/09 WE PASSED COURT! Alyza Kate Danait Hood is officially our daughter.

6/3/09 Purchased plane tickets - we are on our way. Leaving for Ethiopia - less than 3 weeks away!!!

6/20/09 Leaving for Ethiopia

6/27/09 HOME!!!!!

Let me just be honest with you, this time is by far the toughest time that we have had through this whole adoption process. I seems like the last 2 weeks have absolutely gone by at a snail's pace.

I am not a particularly patient person and I am definitely struggling with this one. It has consumed my thoughts and i am TERRIFIED that we will not pass court on Friday. Oh, I know that I will be okay if we don't, but the thought of not passing just makes me so very sad.

What can I do the next few days to pass my time and get my mind off things? Any suggestions?