Yesterday Referrals Came For Some AWAA Families!

Yesterday several AWAA families received referrals. The Ords, The Ducommuns, The Gibsons and I think maybe one other family - plus another family chose 2 boys off a waiting child list. One of the referrals was for a 6 weeks old baby girl!!!!!!!! So young!! That family, I believe turned in their dossier last September - so the waiting time (from dossier turned in to referral)for those adopting infant girls is at about 7-8 months.

Today I spent the morning copying all our paper work. We have to make 3 full sets of copies of EVERY document we've been obtaining since January. So - now we're just missing the I-171H (and having it and some other papers State certified- which I can do in one day in Austin). So - the question is... how long will it take to get the 171 in the mail. My fingerprints were done last Saturday - a week ago. Hopefully we will only have to wait 1-2 more weeks.

If I get the 171 in a couple of weeks, it looks like I will send my dossier in to AWAA in May. Looking at the current time line - we could get a referral anytime between Dec 2008 - Feb. 2009. Then we'll wait 6-8 weeks for court procedures and travel. So travel could be anywhere between Feb and April of '09.

Just thought some of our family members would like to have a better idea of what's going on and how long this might take. As all international adoptions go - all things are subject to change.

We appreciate your prayers over our journey and future.

Blessings,
Cindy Foote

Psych!

So I checked my mail today - just something we do everyday - not thinking about adoption at all. As I flipped through the mail there was an evelope with the USCIS return address. WHAT!!!??!?Somewhere in my CRAZY mind I thought our I-171H might have arrived. My heart beat wildly as I opened the blasted envelope. But oh no no no - no 171 today. It was a letter that must have crossed in the mail regarding my need to get re-fingerprinted - which, I have already done. The letter was dated April 18 which is the day I got the phone call about needing to go back in. I refingerprinted on Saturday the 19th - so I'm guessing the letter was already in the mail before the lady called me Friday. I might call USCIS to be 100% sure.

Anyway - no 171 today. SIGH....

Cindy

Finger prints - REDONE!

Yesterday I received a call that my (Cindy's) fingerprints did not go through and I would have to have them redone. WHAT?!? I was not so happy about this as I recalled how quickly the guy did my fingerprints on Tuesday and realized he was probably being careless. Anyway - I woke Libby up early this morning to be at the USCIS office when they opened at 8AM. We live about 25 minutes from the office so we were out of the house by 7:25. When I drove up to the office I was totally bummed bc there was already a line 15 people deep. And this time Libby was with me and I knew the wait could be... interesting. BUT! Everything went quickly and we were out of there by 8:2oAM. The guy who did my fingerprints said my last ones were probably not clear enough (because my hands are so smooth they have a hard time getting my prints). He said the second set is just for comparison and the FBI will take the best of each set and compile the prints that way. He said I won't get sent back again for prints - this should be it. I hope so.

So... Now, fingerprints are really done!

FINGERPRINTS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Saturday we received the letter stating our fingerprint appointments were on April 23. As you read in my last post I remembered that we were able to go at any time when we adopted from China, but I was concerned the rules had changed and we might have to wait until the 23rd. So many of you commented with your experiences and advice and I appreciated ALL of it! Thank you!

I emailed USCIS over the weekend, but had not heard anything back. So this morning Billy and I decided to drive to the office and just ask someone face to face. The worst thing that could happen is they would say "no".

So we arrived there and as I walked up to the door there was a sign that said something to the affect of "due to National Security elevating the threat level we can not allow anyone inside this building who does not have an appointment for today. I walked back the car and told Billy about the sign and said, "but maybe they hung the sign 3 months ago and have forgotten to take it down." Billy said, "why don't you go in and ask. They're not going to shoot you." I am not one to push the "rules" so I really didn't want to enter the building if I wasn't supposed to. But I did anyway. I guess I was worried that some disgruntled government worker would be really mean and tell me to leave. I went up to the desk and a very nice security man looked at our papers, showed them to the the other lady at the desk and said "can they do this today?" And she said, "we're not too far behind so far today so it will be okay for them to have their appointment now." OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I rushed to get Billy thinking they might change their mind if we didn't move fast. And the best part is - we waited a total of 15 minutes and were out of there in no time so Billy and I got to have an unusual lunch date while Libby was in Mom's Day Out!

It's official - all we're waiting on now is the 171-H!!!! Hooray!!! Ecstatic! Thrilled! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!

Fingerprint Appointments Arrived from USCIS Today!

I was surprised to receive our USCIS letter stating our fingerprint appointment date/time today! So on that note - I'm so excited!

However - the fingerprint appointment is a specfic date (which I don't remember when we were adopting from China). It is set for 8 AM on 4/23. Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember being able to go to USCIS for fingerprints anytime after receiving this letter - but now I can't remember for sure.... Anyone from Texas know the answer to this? There is a number in the letter, but it's a recording that doesn't answer my question. I'm hoping I can just go in on Monday and they will take us in. I'm thinking that the appointment was set as a "final" date in which we had to get fingerprinted before or on that date when we were adopting Libby... but things may have changed since our China adoption...???

International Adoption Experienced Texas Folks - come to my aid!

Thank you,
Cindy

Imagining an African Princess in the Red Swing

Dear Aria,

This week Daddy put together (with help from a friend - Steve the Fireman) a swing set for Libby Song. But not just for Libby - for you too! As Libby was swinging gleefully and singing to herself I sat on the grass and pictured you - our future African princess - in the red swing next to your sister - our Chinese princess. Thinking about the future family memories we will make together makes me grin from ear to ear with sweet anticipation.

And Aria, don't worry - Libby is taking great care of the swing set. She even defended it with her powerful sword from the bad bald man you see in the photo below (silly me - that bald man is your daddy - don't be scared - he's really a compassionate teddy bear!).

Grammy and Papa Boots helped us purchase this swing set. They love you and are thinking and praying for you too! Thank you Grammy and Papa Boots! We love you!

Aria, we are thinking of you in almost every moment of our day! You're going to have so much fun with your big sis!

Love you, Aria.
Love, Mommy, Daddy and Libby

Is it too early...

...to want to check the mail box several times a day for a letter from USCIS saying we can get fingerprints done? How long did it take other TX folks to receive a letter??

Curious and SO EAGER!
Cindy