18 Months

Today marks 18 months in our official wait for Eden. Today is extra special because I received word from our agency that our dossier is in review. After our dossier was logged in, it sat on a shelf... until today. Our paperwork is now in the "review room". While there it will be meticulously checked to be sure our paperwork is complete, correct, and that we meet the criteria to adopt. Although I am confident that things will go smoothly, you never know. If CCAA has a question or needs further information about anything in our dossier, we will be delayed months. This wait is already long enough so say a little prayer that things go well. No news is good news. We will be notified when our dossier (and everyone else who was logged in during April 2007) has left review. This little bit of progress and that fact that we were notified on our 18th (my lucky number) month anniversary is just the little boost I needed. It makes me feel like our adoption is meant to be and will happen.

October has been quite an exciting month. It began with referrals arriving. They completed the typical 6 days this month. Then about two weeks later another batch arrived. Referrals typically are sent about every 30 days. This batch was only for one day and didn't include everyone logged in for that day but it was unexpected good news for those families that did receive them. Then about a week later there was big drama with USCIS. The petition I posted about and the situation surrounding it was quite a scare. Fortunately, the petition (among other efforts) was successful. USCIS has extended the allotted time parents can file the I600. However, if our adoption takes longer than six years to complete we will need to file the new form. God I hope it doesn't take that long. Thousands of families breathed a sigh of relief that the adoption that they have waited so long for, will not be over. My friend Lynn happened to be one of the many who without this issue being resolved would have quite possibly not been able to proceed with their adoption. I happened to receive word about USCIS extending the I600 while at work. Lynn's son Chris was sitting right next to me.... so cool and so weird. Out of all the classes I teach and all the student I have... he was the one sitting there! Honestly, I could have cried right there in class in front of 25 seventh graders. I shared what I found out with Chris and then called Lynn. It is so weird how we are bonded in some cosmic kind of way. Lynn has said that we were "meant to be friends" and I couldn't agree more!


This month we also won box tickets to a Red Wing game and a two year membership to a local gym. Let's hope this lucky streak continues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!