Operation Winston's Room

It has been a busy weekend at our house. We have been working to turn the guest room/storage area into Winston's room. This has entailed moving a wall of bookcases full of books to another room in the house. That took most of yesterday as Andy also had to figure out how to arrange our living room/office so that everything would fit. We are very happy with how it turned out. Next will be moving out all the stuff that is stored in there and find somewhere else to store it or get rid of it. When all that not so fun stuff is done, we get to start actually getting his room ready for him. I can't wait.

We are hoping to hear about a travel date next week, but the only thing predictable about this process is the unpredictability. Travel preparations are beginning as we anticiapate only getting about 2 week's notice for when we have to leave.

Submitted!!!!

Our dossier was successfully submitted to Winston's country. Now, we wait for an appointment to travel to get his referral and bring him home. I'm relieved, excited, and nervous all at the same time. Of course, just a few hours later I got the inevitable e-mail saying that a new law has been passed in Winston's country relating to adoption that may or may not accept our process. I'm praying that this development has no impact on our adoption. I have to believe that this will all work out. We will bring our son home.

Our dossier has landed!!

It arrived in Winston's country today. Now, we wait for it to be translated and submitted to the adoption authority in his country. I am praying that this will happen this coming Thursday but, more likely, it will be next Thursday.  It is so wonderful to not have to worry about USCIS anymore. I wonder if they miss my phone calls.

We got our Golden Ticket!!!!!

As a last ditch attempt to get my I-171H in a timely manner, I e-mailed a request for expedited processing on Thursday morning with physician's letters attached. I had little hope this would work because the two workers I had talked to told me I did not have a case because my child did not have a life threatening condition that could only be treated in the US that was documented by his attending doctor in his country. They were correct. My Winston does not meet those criteria. So, I was headed out the door yesterday to go to a noon Mother's Day Tea at school with Ben. I went to shut down my computer and noticed that there was a brand new e-mail from NBC.Adoptions. I opened the message and read it:

Good morning,

I was assigned to your case and was able to recommended your case for approval. My supervisor reviewed it and I scanned it and e-mailed it to the National Visa Center just now. The National Visa Center will send it overseas electronically. If you need to contact them, their phone number is 603-334-0828.

Good luck with the rest of your journey,

I couldn't believe it. I had to read it again. Did it really say what I thought it said? I called Andy and quickly gathered everything I would need to head to the notary after tea with Ben and head to Montgomery and get the dossier in the mail by the end of the day.

Mother's Day Tea was sooooo sweet. Then, we were off!!!! We got the form notarized at the bank and  then me and the kids set out on the 1.5 hour journey to Montgomery. They were troopers. The apostilling only took about 10 mintues. Then, we hit the potty and the snack shop before heading to the UPS Store in Montgomery. The kids got a little restless while they waited fot me to quadruple check everything before sealing it in the envelope. I suspect the UPS guy was questioning my need for more children. Weren't the two I had more than enough? Then, we were done. The dossier will be delivered on Tuesday since Monday is a holiday in Winston's country.

As a treat, we stopped at Bass Pro Shop on the way home so the kiddos could look at fish, run amok a bit, and eat Moon Pies.

I didn't really have time to process all this til much later. After what seemed like forever, we had our Golden Ticket, the dossier is on the way, and we are one step closer to bringing home our baby boy.

What a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!