More Good News!

We learned several days ago that our 36 Month Homestudy Update and our Application for Approval Extension were sent to Homeland Security on February 12. So everything finally arrived at the agency, (yay!) was assembled and sent from our agency to USCIS. What a relief! Seven weeks of grueling paper-chasing, appointments, hard work, fees and stress finally came together to meet the new Hague Convention Regulations...and now we wait.

Today we received notification from USCIS (Homeland Security) that they did indeed receive our paperwork and they are now processing it. That is definitely good news! The usual saying in the adoption world is "hurry up...and wait." That certainly applies to this journey. Hopefully we will receive the offical Approval/Extension document soon which will confirm our eligibility for another eighteen months. The only other project for this year will be having all four of us re-fingerprinted sometime in June. Other than being quite expensive and a very early morning trip to Cincinnati, (we hope it will be Cincy), it's usually a very peaceful process. (That is, if we don't get lost in downtown Cincy, as we have been known to do previously.)

So...the journey continues. To those who are unfamiliar with the adoption process, this may not seem monumental to you. But to those of us who are very familiar with the reality of each document, each passing day of waiting, each step forward...acquiring official documents, approval and extensions are reasons to celebrate! For now, we are extremely thrilled that this recent update, the most difficult season yet, has been compiled, sent, received and is now being processed. We're getting closer and closer to our little one/s in China. What a blessing!

Thank you for your continued prayers, assistance, companionship and encouragement as we progress further in this journey toward our "JennaBeth" (and maybe "EmmaKate.") As a dear friend recently shared with us, "this is one of the most difficult and frustrating experiences you will ever have. But it will also be one of the most rewarding experiences in your life." So true! Knowing our precious little daughter/s are waiting for us to bring her home makes all the challenges worthwhile. Climbing the mountains of paperwork...and crossing the ocean to meet her are the least we can do for our little daughter/s. For now, we wait...until another update is required...or until a referral arrives. (Let's pray the referral comes first!) We've been logged-in China's adoption system for Thirty-Four months now...and each step toward our sweetie/s is a tremendous blessing. Thank you...for blessing our journey in so many tremendous ways.

Hold on, sweet girl/s! Daddy, Mommy, Rachel and Micah are holding you in our hearts until we can hold you in our arms and bring you home! We love you, baby girl/s! Sweet dreams and may you feel the hand of God holding you until He brings us together...forever.
Cherishing each step forward...
Terri & Family