She's Home!!

Amara is finally home!! On Friday morning my mom and I drove to D.C. where we stayed the night and then woke up and headed for Dulles airport. I was a nervous wreck. When we got there we found out her flight was delayed so I was literally holding my breath until we heard the plane landed. Finally, after waiting for her to go through customs, we saw her escort come out of the door holding her in a snuggly! She is so beautiful- with a ton of hair!!! She came right to me and was all smiles! Her escort was wonderful and we owe her so much thanks! After spending some time getting to know her at the airport, we drove home and arrived back home Saturday night! She did great!

We are all adjusting well, and although she is a little sick, she is a very happy little girl! Her big brothers are wonderful with her and we know she is going to be one spoiled baby! We are truly blessed to have her in our lives!

Thank you for all of your support and prayers during this journey! Thank you to our families and friends, AAI, the Cincinnati USCIS office, the AAI yahoo group, Steve Chabot's office and everyone else who helped us get our baby girl home! I will not be blogging very much at all anymore because this was for our journey to get her and now she is here! It is time to focus on our family!

Saturday!!!! This Saturday!!!

I can't believe I'm saying this!!! Amara is coming home on Saturday!!! This Saturday!!!!!!!! Words cannot even describe what is going on in my head right now!!! Just this morning I thought that it was going to be forever! I don't know what happened, but AAI has her Visa in hand and she is leaving Ethiopia tomorrow and will be in the U.S.A. on Saturday!!!
Lots of packing and preparations to do!

:-( Not coming home next week

Well, because of this new National Visa Center, she is not coming home next week. They don't even have our case in their system yet! Who knows how long this will take!

This is all extremely frustruating and stressful. I've been on the phone for 2 days and we are still waiting for more news. I have to say though that the local USCIS office has been very helpful and quick. And, the people at Steve Chabot's office have been very generous with their time and help. Also, my thanks to AAI for putting up with all of my questions with a patient, understanding ear.

My poor husband has also been putting up with me. Thanks hon!

Anway, I'll post when I hear some news. It can't be that much longer... Can it?

Here are some new pictures from another wonderful traveling parent. We are really very lucky to have gotten so many. The caregivers really seem to love her, they are holding her in almost every picture!

Keep praying that we get her home soon!

Also, pray for all of the people all over Africa who are struggling with flooding right now.

Good News! And pictures!

Ok, How cute is she? She is around 8 months old now!
A big thanks to Libby who was picking up her beautiful baby boy and took these pics for us!

And the good news is... we were approved from the local USCIS!!!! They really got it done in record time! A little over 1 week! Thank you to them!
We may still need the National Visa Center approval (I think the government just likes us to sit and wait longer than necessary). Our agency has said that if approval is received in Addis Ababa by September 25, she may be escorted home on September 28!!! I'm really trying not to get my hopes up, but I'm so excited!!! So, another prayer request... Please pray that approval is in the hands of the embassy in Ethiopia by the 25th.
It looks like I may not have to travel after all.

And, I'm not sure if it is tomorrow or Wednesday, but Happy New Year Ethiopia!!!! Ethiopia is celebrating it's millenium and they will just be going into the year 2000!

Here is our timeline (people keep asking!)
June 2006 - application accepted with AAI
July/August 2006 - homestudy
September 2006- worked on dossier
October 4, 2006 - dossier sent to Ethiopia - officially waiting for girl 0-24 months
May 10, 2007 - referral!!!
August 2 - passed court!
September 7 - approval from local immigration!
Now we are waiting to have her escorted home! Hopefully September 28!

Sleeping Angel!

Isn't this so cute! She looks so peaceful! We also received a health update and it looks like she was a little sick and has lost a little weight. But, they said she is doing better now, so that is wonderful news.

Also found out that because of this new procedure with U.S. immigration, we will not be able to have her escorted until the middle of October now and this is only if things go well. Our paperwork is here at the local immigration office now and after they approve it they send it to the National VISA center who has to then forward approval to the embassy in Ethiopia. I really don't know why this has to be, but there it is. It is incredibly difficult to not try to jump on a plane and go get her. I was told if I were to decide to travel, I could possibly go the first week in October. Anyone want to go to Ethiopia with me?

News and a picture

We received a copy of Amara's Ethiopian birth certificate today- with us named as her parents! It is good to see our names listed!

I also found out that we are probably going to be waiting until late September/early October for her to be escorted home. We have to wait for more paperwork and then have it sent to the local USCIS office, then onto some National Visa place, and finally to the Embassy in Ethiopia.

Again, I'm asking for prayers that everything goes smoothly and quickly. Please...

Some of the babies at her orphanage have been sick, so please pray for them as well and for Amara's health.

The picture is one that a traveling parent took (thanks to Kelly and family!)

New Pictures!

A big thank you to Mary at Owlhaven for these wonderful pictures of our baby girl with her very loving caregiver!!

We have not heard anything new yet, this wait is terrible, although at least we are getting closer every day.

Here is a great article about adopting/bio. kids. It features some families from our agency with adopted Ethiopian children.

http://nymag.com/news/features/35817/