Home Study -- 5/02/08

FINALLY!!! Our home study was submitted to USCIS in Louisville for approval.

I have tried to get an idea of how long they are currently taking.  I have seen one as little as 2 weeks up to 60 days and also heard it is taking 3 months!!!  I truly HOPE that it does not take 3 months for approval.  That would be excruciating.

We also sent the majority of our paperwork to  A Helping Hand (our placement agency) for review. I still have to have the home study notary - county certified and then I can send that  in.

We will be in Owensboro tomorrow - so I am planning on picking it up - the County Certification that is - while we are there.

We still need to get our family pictures taken to submit with our dossier.  Professional pictures are not required so you think this would be an easy task.  Not!! It is so hard lately to gather everyone at the same time for a picture.  I have asked for this for Mother's Day!!

We are working  (Repicci's Italian Ice) the BBQ festival this weekend in Owensboro.

So if you are close, come by and see us. :)

Pre Approval

YEA!! YEA!!

We have PA from the People's Republic of China!!

We received this on 4/23/08 - it was actually approved on 4/14/08.  

This means that we have been ok'd to pursue Aric's adoption.  Any ok from China is a WIN. 

It also means that we can send a Care Package to Aric.  This is in the works...

There are different online sites where you can pick out certain items to send to him. They also will translate a letter to him for you. Which is awesome.  The one we are going with is www.ladybugsnlove.com 

This form of care package is a bit different than what we got to do for Alex. We picked out all the stuff and sent with another family. It is nice to have this option.

Right now we are planning to send pictures of the family - and they will label them for us in Chinese as well, the letter, a Panda bear, some candy and nuts - which is for the other kiddos and nannies, a camera and maybe one more thing!!

It is really hard not to just open up the wallet and send everything they offer.  We are afraid that may be a bit overwhelming to do though.

Oh!! We are part of a Yahoo group for Chongqing Parents - this is for parents that have adopted and are currently adopting.  It is really neat to be able to see the place where Aric lives. There are a ton of pictures which we have scoured looking to see if they could possibly be Aric.  Some are from at least 2 years ago, so sadly I cannot be 100% certain any of them are Aric.  There are some real cuties in the pictures though!!  Anyway, there is an adoptive Mom that is picking up her child this week and offered to check on Aric. She has said she will send pictures.  That would be the ABSOLUTE BEST!!!

Very excited to get to do this!