Adoption Update

Picture this heart-stopping moment in my life this past week....

I was finishing up paperwork for our China dossier and I started working on the citizenship paperwork. I realized that I needed to make more photocopies of our passports and marriage certificate. I gathered the paperwork together to head out the door to get the photocopies done, when I realized that I couldn't find my passport!!!!

Needless to say, my heart started thumping and I found myself unable to catch my breath. How was this possible? This type-A lady is very, very meticulous with all of the paperwork -- you have to be when you are keeping track of so many forms!

I started scouring the house, calling Paul to ask him if he had seen it, and trying my best not to lose my mind in front of Maelyn. Who, by the way, chose that very moment to have a tantrum over not being allowed to change into another outfit for the day.

I was hyperventilating, going through piles of paperwork for the fourth time and then it hit me....

Could I have possibly left it on the photocopier at Staples when I had made the first copies of our passports? No -- not possible. I was there almost two months ago! There is no way I would have left it there and not realized for so long!!!

After a fifteen minute wait on the phone, the gentleman on the other line confirmed that yes, I had in fact left it there and someone had been gracious enough to turn my passport over and they had put it in the office. The relief I felt was instantaneous, but I also felt embarrassed!

Unfortunately, it also gives Paul a free pass the next time he goofs up -- sheesh!! :)

Onto adoption news...

We heard from our adoption agency yesterday that the Ontario Ministry is now working on our file (finally!) and we should be getting our approval within the next two weeks. The next big chunk of paperwork to be handed in is our China dossier, which along with our homestudy, will go to China. Throughout the summer I have worked to have all of our China dossier documents ready to go, but found out yesterday that China has changed two of the forms. I will work on those this weekend and then I have to courier them to our adoption practitioner to have them singed. Once I get them back, I can send the entire package to our agency.

Our agency will then have our homestudy and dossier translated, which takes about fifteen days, and then our entire package will be sent to China. China will take about a month to review our file. Once I file is approved, we are ready and open for a referral!!

I have also been working on the first step in the citizenship process for our little monkey. The first time around, Paul completed this paperwork and I hadn't realized how involved it really is! I finally figured out exactly what was required and am just about finished the sponsorship forms.

Wow! When we received the email yesterday asking us to start sending in our China dossier package, it really started to feel real! I cannot believe that we are lucky enough to be able to experience this amazing adoption journey for a second time! I can't wait!!!!  :)

Some random pics -- what is a post without pics, right?

Playing cards with Daddy...

Playing Daddy's favourite game of pretend -- bedtime!