Waiting, waiting, and more waiting (followed by some hurry up...then waiting).

I've told a few people lately that the adoption process is really boring unless you are the one in it.

(Even then, sometimes, it's boring.)

So, currently I am done with my end of the paperwork (I think!), and am waiting on my homestudy to be finalized.  Once that happens, a very important form will be filed with the U.S. government, which is an "Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country."  This is form I-800a, so that is what it gets called, but basically it is just the U.S. Customs and Immigration's approval form for me to adopt a child from China (the "Convention" refers to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption).  This wait can range anywhere from 30-90 days.  Back in the Fall it was at a 90 day wait, but it has been at 60 days and recently has been speeding up to around 40 (I saw 39 the other day).  So hopefully this wait won't be a big deal.  In the interim, I will be getting all the documents I have created or collected certified at the county and state levels, and then send them via courier to D.C., where they have to be sealed at the Department of State and the Chinese Consulate.

See?  I told you.  Super interesting.

Once the I-800a comes back, that will be expedited through the sealing process.  Then CCAI (my agency) will review all the documents, called the dossier.  And once they are ready, comes the magical three letters:

DTC.

Dossier to China.  That date, and my Log-In Date (LID), then start my wait for my Letter of Approval. And the paperwork keeps going on.

I am still hoping to be DTC by the end of May, and that is looking very reasonable.  It is even possible to be DTC sooner, but I am trying not to get my hopes too high.  :)  It all depends on the I-800a wait, which is my first official wait.  I am excited to start counting days.

In the interim, some exciting things have been happening around here.  First, we've had eighty gazillion three snow days in the last week.  I can't even remember how many this month or year, but I think we are to eight or nine.  It's been a lot.  It's just been a rough, cold winter, which is unusual for us, but what are you going to do?  I am thankful that I had already decided not to work summer school this year, so I will have a somewhat normal break.

Another exciting thing going on is 200 Red Envelopes for Ella!  This will be the biggest fundraiser going on for this adoption, and other than the scarves and the photo mini-session on March 8, is the only other fundraiser I plan to do!  I'd love for you to participate if you are able!

And finally, a HUGE blessing came my way this week in the form of a Rosalynn's Hope scholarship.  Rosalynn's Hope is the adoption/orphan care ministry of Ninth and O Baptist Church, where I am blessed to attend.  I am so grateful to attend a church that is so supportive of adoption, and that has a ministry designed to help families adopt children.  I am incredibly humbled to be a recipient of this scholarship.

Here's a video from January 2013 of some other Rosalynn's Hope families.  I cannot wait until next year, when hopefully Ella and I will be a part of this special video!