happy 2013!

Happy New Year!

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted, we haven't had anything to update you on until now!  The paper-chasing has definitely taken us longer than we planned... but I guess we better start getting used to that!  We received our finalized home study back in December, which allowed us to move forward with some of the last steps!  We have fingerprint appointments tomorrow and just await our USCIS approval after that!!  (And I'm really not sure how long that takes...)  In between now and then we have a few more things to do on our end- compile pictures, get our papers state certified (which, um, I need to figure out how to do!), and finish our application letter.  I can't believe it's all finally coming together!!  I'm praying that we can be DTE (Dossier to Ethiopia) by end of January, but like always, we'll see if that happens. :)

This was a picture of Major from a few weeks ago when I was home sick from work, you can tell he was  real concerned about me. ;-)

To be honest, the last couple of months I've just been exhausted thinking about it and talking about it.  "How's the adoption process coming?" "Oh, it's coming, we're almost done with paperwork!" (Same answer I've given since what, September? Ugh, I never was a patient person.)  At least we had Christmas and New Years to keep us busy!  We had a great time celebrating the birth of our Savior, spent time with family, celebrated our 7th anniversary at an Ethiopian restaurant in town, and rung in the new year with our friends and family!  I'm taking on a new position at work and am excited about starting that next week, and Chase has been busy as ever with work and furniture designing.  I'll be sure to post again soon when we have some more updates!  Please pray for us that everything works out quickly and smoothly!  Thanks friends!

Me & some of my best friends! If your name starts with an "S", especially if it's Stephanie, we will be friends. :)

thankful

Celebrating one of our first milestones-- submitting the home study application.

We were advised by several people to celebrate the little things through the adoption process, so I plan on trying to do so and document them with at least one picture. :)  It's nice to be able to check something off the list!  I never thought I was much of a list person, but I am loving checking things off of these lists.  The piles of paperwork haven't been consuming us ever since the home study application was turned in.  But that does not mean our work is done... We have quite a bit more to do before submitting our dossier.  I cannot wait until I can say we are DTE (Dossier To Ethiopia), this is when we get put on the official waiting list and get an estimated waiting time!!!  

Since I last checked in...  we've been cleaning and organizing around the house, getting ready for the home study.  My mom and I have been making towels & potholders (and a few burp cloths by request!) like crazy.  Thank you SOOOO much, Mom, for sewing everything!  You're amazing!  I've sold a few orders on Etsy but have sold the most just through friends and family.  Thank you ALL for your support and prayers, it is all appreciated so so much.  You can check out the Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/awaitingethiopia.

I have been somewhat overwhelmed with lots of emotions lately, mostly gratitude.  I could never have dreamed how kind, thoughtful, and generous people would be.  Not only from our friends, but from people we barely know.  We have been trusting that God will take care of us through this, in all aspects, and He has been faithful.  And we are so thankful.  Thank you to all of you, I don't think I can say it enough.

Next week is the home study!!  Can anyone give us any pointers?  I haven't baby proofed the house or done anything at all in the means of creating a nursery.  At this point that is all 18-24 months away, surely she is not expecting to see any of that?!?

Thanks for checking in, I'll be back to let you know how the home study went!! 

paper pregnant

Our thick file of paperwork for the Home Study, almost complete!!

We are "paper chasing" or "paper pregnant" as some call it!!!  What does that mean?  Lots of paperwork.  There are 2 parts to the paperwork process.  One part we are working on is our paperwork for the home study.  We are nearly done with gathering everything needed to submit to have our home study done!!  I finally feel like I have time to sit down and do something other than fill out paperwork or get things in order.  

We've ordered certified copies of birth certificates, marriage certificate, gone to get new social security cards (because we somehow lost ours?! :-/), filled out what feels like a tree's worth of papers, bought 9 books on adoption from the required reading list, gotten physicals (Umm, getting the form needed for Chase's physical from his doctor is a whole blog post in itself.  If you ever considered Northwest Diagnostic Clinic in Cedar Park please reconsider.  These people can't fill out a form, I don't know how they could diagnose or write a prescription??!), had friends and family write referral letters (THANK YOU!!!), and the list goes on and on...

The second part of the process is our dossier.  This is our compilation of our home study report along with more paperwork that gets sent to Ethiopia.  Once that is completed and sent we are considered "DTE" (Dossier To Ethiopia) and put on the waiting list!!  We hope to be DTE by November and the approximate wait time right now is 18-24 months.  So in about 2 years (hopefully less!) we will be bringing home our baby boy or girl!  We are requesting 0-18 months, either boy or girl.  

I've been stressing myself out thinking about all we have to have done, not to mention the money we will have to come up within a few short months.  I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not doing this on my own and that I need to rely on Him to get us through.  God has provided and guided us this far, we know He will continue!  

I'll leave you with a couple pics of our first fundraiser! :)  My mom, sister, and I made these kitchen towels and pot holders this week to sell as a fundraiser.  Thanks Mom, for sewing them all up!  I hope to get a link up on the blog to sell these if anyone is interested, for now you can email me!!