Journey of a Lifetime to China, The Rogers Adoption: February 2005

DTC FEBRUARY 18TH, 2005 !!!!!

Well after the whole consulate disappointment with not making the mailings for the 10th, all the papers went through and Stephanie walked them into the Consulate and then right to Harrahs! Even with her kids being sick, she is so awesome!
Harrahs had our completed Dossier on Tuesday February 15th. I was now getting nervous that our dossier would not go to China this week as I posted on one or two of the many yahoo groups that I belong to wondering if anyone had just missed the last mailing and were waiting on this one. I really didn't get much response in favor of this so I started biting nails again. But low and behold, yesterday afternoon(Friday the 18th) the email arrived , just as they promised, that our dossier was finally DTC to China and they also included the tracking number so we can see when it arrives!
I am really hoping for an August referral, but because it is mid month, we won't know until the time comes...there is no way to guarantee either way :(
Tonight is FCC CNY dinner at Fung's Kitchen and we all have our Chinese clothes to wear...I can't wait to get pictures of all of us, especially Spencer who has the 2 piece outfit for boys and all in red & gold... awwww! I am not sure he will wear the hat with the braid on it though, he is being stubborn about that, but maybe I can squeak a picture out of him.
Well...now the 6 month wait begins...I will update as often as possible!

Almost done & DTC with minor delay

Well, after the excitement of the I-171 H arriving, I figured it would be no problem to have everything done by the end of the week with authenticating and everything...NOT!!! Stephanie, the trooper she is, sent it off the next day to the Austin SOS to be authenticated. In the past, all of the SOS's, have turned the docs around in one day...I was amazed. This time, I checked the next day and it was not on its way back. I called Austin SOS to see if there was a problem or a hold up. They told me they were really backed up and couldn't guarentee sending it out that day or the next day...ARGGHHHH. I asked if I could DRIVE there and pick it up...they said "sure" so off Spencer and I went. 3 hours later I arrived at the Austin SOS office and picked up my documents, then...back into the car, turn around, drive ALL the way back to Houston. For some reason, I was worried about something at this point but couldn't put my finger on it. I went to the Houston consulate website-sure enough...closed from the next day until Sunday. My heart never sank lower...I knew now we wouldn't make the mailing for Thursday :(
Well, ok, now that I am over that...Jackie at Harrahs posted that since there would be enough to send next week, they would be sending another batch!! Yipppeeeee! So we should be DTC next week. I am happy again :) I am meeting Stephanie this afternoon to have lunch and give her my papers to bring to the consulate on Monday morning, along with the last payment to Harrahs. I can't wait until I can post we are actually DTC!!! We may still make FEB LID since we are not DTC at the end of the month...I smell an early August referral!!!
Until next time...

IT CAME!!!! THE I-171 H !!!!!!

I couldn't believe it. On Thursday evening at about 4:30 pm, Kyle went to go get the mail and as he walked back I met him at the door. The usual pile of junk filled his hands, but one big yellow envelope was sticking out above the rest.... He didn't get one step in the door before I almost tackled him and got the envelope in my sweaty hands!!! Poor Kyle :)
I looked at the return address and sure enough...U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICE was there....I screamed and jumped around for about 5 minutes...doing a very silly dance all over the house! I immediately got on the phone with Stephanie our dossier consultant and asked if she was sitting down... then told her it came!! When I had the envelope in my hands, I almost was scared for a moment because the envelope was so heavy and obviously had more than one document in it...did they send my stuff back, were we rejected by the government? I ripped open the top(careful not to destroy anything inside) and looked at the contents. The first page was a letter congratulating us and that we were approved! The next was the actual I-171H approval, then another paper about fingerprinting and another two forms, then ANOTHER I-171H...identical to the first! How cool!! I called Joe next and told him we are on our way...definitely not as excited as me, but I think that is because he has not done his homework on what all these papers mean in the process. I tell him sign this, he does, I tell him...go here at 2 pm...he does...that is about it! He will get more excited when the picture of our daughter comes!!!
The amazing part of this is that we only submitted the I-600A on Jan 20th -rec'd fingerprint noticeon Jan. 28th - fingerprinted on January 29th( a Saturday) and rec'd the I 171 on Feb 3rd...2 weeks from start to finish...unreal. My heart goes out to all my cyber friends who have been waiting for months for this to happen and it still has not. Why can't all offices be like Houston??? If it can take this long in one place...all of them should be able to accomodate completing this form for all those who are being ever so patient to get this to continue their journey. I have been very fortunate with the whole process. Our start to finish time frame has been a little over 8 weeks so far...many of the same people who are where I am now have started as early as August and September!!! I couldn't imagine the pain they are going through in the waiting. Our process is a miracle in itself and I can only think God has BIG plans for a little girl in China who needs us desperately. My I-171 was immediately faxed to Stephanie that night and she sent it to Austin SOS the next day-Friday. It is in Austin now but will not be delivered until Monday. I hope we have a quick turn around for this doc and that we can make the next mailing with Harrahs which will be around the 10th of February. Chinese New Year is coming fast so they don't want to mail them earlier to have the dossiers sit in China when no one is there to process them. So they are planning to send them to arrive when they (CCAA) gets back.
We would be Feb DTC and Feb LID if we got in the next batch : which means an August referral-travel in October or around there. I also am praying that we do not travel during the trade fair...the prices get jacked up and hotels and airfare skyrocket. Hopefully we will go in the beginning of October and not the end when the trade fair is. When all is said and done, it is out of our hands and it will be when it will be! :)
Until next time!!