We received our I-171H

On Tuesday! Yup, I have been a very bad blogger! Brando and I took a little trip to Montana again and we just got back on Tuesday evening to find it in our huge stack of mail.

For those of you wondering what the heck an I-171H, it is the final piece of paperwork from the Department of Homeland Security stating that we have been approved to adopt! Officially, it is our "Notice of favorable determination concerning the application for advance processing of Orphan petition". Wow! Who wouldn't understand that one?

So, as you guessed, we are still waiting "patiently". I think because we don't know the ages, gender, etc. of our children, it makes this whole process very hard for me. I am a planner and a dreamer and I don't even know if I need 2 cribs, or a crib and a toddler bed, etc. so nesting and baby shopping isn't really an option. Brandon, of course, it taking it all in stride. He is very excited, but patient and calm at the same time. Hmmph!

Nothing.

I don't really have anything to update on, and to be quite honest, the past few weeks have been pretty hard on me patience-wise. I know we really haven't been waiting that long, but I feel frustrated that I have nothing to do to bring our children closer to us. I long to know who they are, see their faces, and start preparing for them to enter the great little family we are building!

I know I need to cheer up and be strong, but seriously, I never had much patience to start with! It has been 5 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days since we started this process...but really, who is counting?

On a happy note, we are heading off to Montana again this weekend! I have some work over there, and Brando's parents are coming as well, so that should be fun. I'll try and get some spring in MT photos and cheer up my next post!

Our dossier has landed!

Just a quick update to let everyone know that our dossier has been received in Ethiopia!!!

From here the dossier translation process will begin. Once we receive our referral, it will then be submitted for processing through the MOWA and the Federal Courts.

Can I hear a whoop whoop?