The Journey Continues: New Picture and Latest Update

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!!!!!

What a welcome surprise. After all of the excitement on Monday, Tuesday afternoon we received a new picture and an update on AK.

Here is what they are saying about her!

"From the instant you see Danait you fall in love. She has such a lively, capturing spirit. She did not stop laughing and smiling the entire time I was playing with her this afternoon. Her laughter has the ability to brighten any day! She is also quite the social butterfly prancing around the room wanting to play with everyone. She particularly liked playing hide and go seek behind the cribs. She would sprint behind the crib and peer out a few seconds later with a huge grin! She is growing up to be quite a little doll! I could have stayed and played with her all day!"

And here is the newest picture. Looks like hair is coming in again!