pink paperclips

Somewhere along the way in life I remember someone saying that, while job hunting, one should add something to their resume to help make it stand out to a prospective employer. One of the examples given was a colored paperclip. This was recently brought to mind again when someone applying for a position that North Star had available submitted a video cover letter with his resume. This definitely stood out to us and I thought once again about colored paperclips. Random.

Anyhow, while finishing up all the paperwork associated with our I-800A that needed to be mailed I glanced over and saw some pink paperclips. Bingo! Maybe, just maybe, whoever gets a hold of our documents will be somewhat reminded that there's a real live person all the way across the world that their job is affecting in a mighty way. I'm sure they have to sort through these kinds of documents all the time and that it could become monotonous. So, our I-800A was sent off this week with a couple of pink paperclips. It made me smile at least!

I'll be happy to stop posting photos of paper and start posting photos of "her"

Just to explain the I-800A a little, here's a blurb I copied and pasted from China Adoption Online:

"The full name of this form is Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country, the convention country being China is this case. USCIS will evaluate whether not you are suitable to adopt a child from China. Worried about getting approval? Don't be. You would never have gotten past the home study process if you weren't qualified."

So now we wait 7-10 days for a Notice of Receipt from USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). Then we wait for it to be reviewed and approved. Then we wait for a fingerprint appointment. Are you catching on?

By the way, I am really enjoying this paperwork thing way too much. No kidding!

a fair trade

Since I was knee-deep in adoption paperwork the other night, Andy agreed to make a milkshake for me. I guess that's a fair trade!

I decided to buckle-down, pull a late-night and get as much done as possible. We've gotta get this girl home! After speaking with our agency on Monday, I have a much better grasp of what I need to be doing now. So I dove in.

There's the I-800A, an adoption application letter to be written, certified copies of birth certificates and marriage certificates, certificates of profession (our jobs that is...I assumed it had to do with our faith!), certificate of income and property, health examination forms, criminal history reports, passport copies, extra passport photos, family life photos, some form called a G-1 that has Chinese characters ALL over it (thankfully the English translation is included to the side), more required education to be done (8 hours of online training and reading another book), and then 3 photocopies of all of the above documents. Whew! It's kinda fun though :) I always enjoyed the paperwork part of being a Realtor so I got this!

As for Andy, he'll just have to sign and date. And keep making me milkshakes!

encouragement

Part of what keeps me encouraged and excited during our wait is keeping up with other adoption blogs. Remember my post about Jubilee? As of yesterday, she is now with her forever family! She's grown so much since being matched with them in February. Her mom Kayla is the one who answered many of my initial questions when we were praying about starting our process. It's exciting to finally see them together and I look forward to many posts about sweet Jubilee's transition!

fit

Amanda, our wonderful social worker

It has apparently been decided that we are fit to be parents! We should be recieving our home study report in the mail any day now and I am so curious as to what it says about us. But it does says we are cleared to adopt a child from China and that's what matters! So today I mailed our agency fee and contract to Small World. I still don't really know exactly what's next. Perhaps something called an i800 (Andy probably thinks it's some sort of new Apple product) and/or fingerprints?

And it's not our agency's fault that I don't know what's going on. I have a big notebook full of info I could turn to and Small World is always a phone call away. The people there have been so helpful and quick to respond. It's mostly me. It's been so busy around here and the Lord has just given me a peace about the timing. I really expected myself to try and push this thing through at every waking moment, wanting to make it go faster. Instead I feel like it's been more of the Holy Spirit gently nudging me to find out and do what's next. So we're just taking it one step at a time. I am so grateful because I think it could be miserable if we were to try to force everything to happen faster. Our little girl will be our little girl no matter what I do!

To me, the waiting will become more difficult once we're matched and have a little face to look at every second of everyday! But we're a little ways off from that.
 

happy 60th nana

then

Little One,

Today is your Nana's birthday. And it's not just any birthday. She turned  the big 6-0! And maybe by the time she's the big 6-1 you'll be able to help her blow out the candles. That would be a nice birthday present, I'm sure.

and now

Here are a few things you should know about your Nana: She makes the best chocolate chip cookies you'll ever eat. When her 7 siblings come for a visit (some from all the way across the country) their first request is for her to make fudge. Your Nana has a silly sense of humor (which is probably where I get it) - in other words, she'll be easy to make laugh! She loves the beach, Mexican food, playing a good game of Zonk, having her nails done, riding off into the sunset with your DanDan and spending time with her grandkids. Oh, and she has her very own swimming pool!

So, all that to say, I know for a fact she can't wait to meet you. And I know for a fact that you are one blessed youngin' to have her in your life.

Happy Birthday Nana!

So Loved

I'm so excited about this t-shirt! The proceeds go toward funding future surgeries for orphans in China with heart defects. I just love the design and the cause is even better! I ordered mine today :)