Our Family Built on Faith: July 2010

Friday, July 16, 2010

July Update

Hello All,
Just a quick update. Well, we are diligently working on our Dossier documents so they are ready to be state certified once we get USCIS Approval of 1-600 A Petition. And then they go off to be authenticated by US Embassy and Rwanda Embassy. And then off to Rwanda - YEAH!

We are all trying to be patient... We are doing a lot of reading, about various adoption-related topics, and a lot of praying.

God keeps speaking to me and showing me signs to keep my strength!

Kisses in the Wind (by Pamela Durkota, for Josh)

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.
You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.

I know you wonder where we are... what's taking us so long.
But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.

Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...
Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.
I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.

Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.
But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.
And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night.

Timeline

Ghana Timeline Below:

6/**/2012 Dossier to Ghana
6/22/2012 Rec'd Visas for us to travel to Ghana
also Rec'd new issued copies of Birth Certs. and Marr. Lic.
6/15/2012 Dossier Complete
6/12/2012 Home Study Complete
June 2012 Officially in the Ghana Program

Rwanda Timeline Below:
3/15/2011 Adam immunizations
3/11/2011 6 Months DTR
Melissa rec'd some of her
immunizations for the trip
(6 shots, probably 6 to go :)
2/10/2011 5 Months DTR
1/10/2011 4 Months DTR
1/8/2011 Ate at Ethiopian Restaurant
1/3/2011 Ordered our TShirts
12/10/2010 3 Months DTR
12/7/2010 Phone Meeting with our Agency and Rwanda Families
11/29 & 12/6 Email communication with Rwanda Adoption Technician
11/10/2010 2 Months DTR
10/10 1 Month since DTR!
9/20 Rec'd news that our dossier is officially rec'd by the Ministry! We are on the "wait list" for our dossier to be reviewed! WooooHoooo!
9/10 Dossier arrives in Rwanda to our agency's partner. He will prep and then submit to the ministry.
9/10 DTR!!!!! (Date our Dossier Reached Rwanda - Date To Rwanda).
9/8 Praying with My Blogging Family - Thank You!
8/27 Rec'd email from Ministry that they would accept our dossier! WooooHoooo!
8/27 Poured our heart out to the Ministry via email - NO Sleep Tonight. Lots of Prayers!
8/27 to 8/30 Sometime around here our dossier was on its way to Rwanda.
8/27 Talked with our Rwanda Casemanager - confirmed news that Rwanda suspending any applications after Aug 31st. Also heard that our Dossier got authenticated and Approval Letter by Rwanda Embassy! WooooHoooo!
8/26 Heard news Rwanda Suspending Adoptions to focus on becoming part of the Hague Convention.
7/16 Express Mailed More Records requested by USCIS
7/15 Rec'd Police Letter for Dossier
USCIS Fingerprinting Completed - One Week Earlier!
7/14 Updated Home Study Approved
6/15 Rec'd Physician's letters for Dossier
6/14 Ordered Kids Birth Certificate
6/11 Rec'd Notice that USCIS rec'd I600 A Form
6/10 Phone Meeting with Rwanda Case Manager
6/2 Completed I600A Form and Documents; ordered more copies of Birth Certs. and Marriage Cert.
6/1 Rec'd Passports
5/28 Home Study Approved!
5/19 Rec'd NE State Fingerprints for Home Study
5/15 Sent second packet to Placement Agency!
5/10 Applied for Passports
5/8 Completed 16+ hours of pre-adoption education
4/16 Home Study visit to our home - Liam and Ava rocked! We did too! Ava said she was going to be "jealous" with her new bro/sis! Only b/c we talked about jealousy a couple days before.... Liam & Ava are very excited!
4/13 Individual Home Study Visits
4/6 1st Home Study Visit
4/1 Fingerprints sent off for Background Checks
3/31 Local Background Checks. Had fingerprints completed.
3/30 Decided on Home Study Agency
3/26 Sent first packet to Placement Agency
3/21 Registered to Placement Agency

T-Shirt Sizing and Colors - More Info

Adult Sizes Come in 2 Types of "Fit" with the following colors:

Regular Fit (We have sizes L, XL, & 2X) comes in colors Chocolate, Dark Red, and Concrete.

Junior’s Fit (We have sizes M, L, & XL) comes in colors Peacock, Sun, and Kiwi. (Colors coincide with the Rwandan Flag Colors)

*PLEASE NOTE Junior’s Fit is about 1½ sizes smaller than Regular Fit.

Adam is sporting a XL Regular Fit (concrete). Melissa is sporting a XL Junior’s Fit in Kiwi and also sports a L Regular Fit in Dark Red.

Children's Fit (We have sizes XS, S, & M) comes in colors Azalea and Carolina Blue.

Liam is sporting a Medium. Ava is sporting a Small.

Shirts Designed with hands embracing Africa encased in a heart. Shirts Say: Embrace Africa- Be the change you wish to see in the world.

T-Shirt Fundraiser - Order Here! Embrace Africa - Be the Change you Wish to see in the World

Minimum of $20 Donation is recommended. Free Shipping. You will receive a Designer T-Shirt (Melissa and Adam designed) for the Donation. Be sure to include the Version & Size you'd like and your Shipping Address in the PayPal note. You can also email us at familybuiltonfaith@gmail.com. Thank you for helping us bring our children home! ALSO - With your donation, we will also put your name on a piece of a puzzle that will be framed in double-sided glass and hung in our childrens' room. This will be a permanent reminder of how many friends and family helped bring our children home.

Our Family Built on Faith

Friday, July 16, 2010

July Update

Links

Books I'm Reading

Followers

Accra