Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Moving Along....

Our next step in Josie's adoption is to get our fingerprints taken.  These fingerprints are for USCIS, which is our homeland security clearance.  The U.S. has to give us permission to adopt internationally before we send our dossier (paperwork) to China.  First, we had to have a finalized home study.  Then, we sent that home study, along with the application and $890 to them.  Now, we have to have our fingerprints done electronically down in our state capital.  We have that appointment date for this next Monday.  Once that is done, we wait.  It could be a month.  It could be 2 months.  USCIS takes our fingerprints (makes sure we aren't felons) and reviews our home study.  Our home study has to be written exactly according to specifications in order for them to approve us.  Hopefully, our social worker did it right.  Sometimes, USCIS "pink slips" and needs wording changed or more information.  This sets you back in your timeline though so let's just pray it clears quickly.  Once we have approval, we can mail off our dossier to China.  And then we wait more.  I love waiting.  It is so much fun. 

Thursday, August 8, 2013

A Painful Day

Today is my dude's 4th birthday.  Most people would celebrate.  I am not.  In fact, I'm having a hard time getting through this whole week leading up to his birthday.  There will be no candles or cake.  He will get no gifts.  No singing or clapping either.  But what is really making my heart ache, is that on his 4th birthday, my dude will be transferred out of his baby home and into a mental institute.  I don't know where either.  It could be a good one or it could be a bad one.  I've seen pictures and stories of both.  I will lose track of him now.  I've always had a fear of losing my kids in the wilderness when we go camping.  That's how I feel now.  It's pure panic.  There's so many dangers looming and I can't protect him.  Will he be safe?  Or will he be like most children with special needs that die within a few years due to lack of care?  He's lost.  I can't get to my dude with his sweet smile and haunting eyes.  It's killing me.

Please pray for my little man.