Past Due Update

Hello all! I've gotten quite behind on keeping our blog updated. At the end of September, AWAA of NC went through the relicensing process with the State. All went well, but I needed some recovery time afterwards. Following that, Ciara had two mosquito bites that turned in to cellulitis in both her lower legs, and we've just been busy. Things are getting back to normal now.

We did receive our I 171 H on September 19, 2007. AWAA of NC's site visit was on September 25, so I did not get a chance to work on anything until October. On Friday, I scanned in all of our dossier documents (a total of 29 documents, 79 pages all together), obtained four money orders (two for the US Department of State and two for the Ethiopian Embassy), and overnighted everything to our agency. Yesterday, we received the response below:

I am sending your dossier by FedEx overnight this evening to the courier in Washington, DC. He will hand carry your dossier for final authentication at the Department of State and Ethiopia Embassy. Your dossier will then be sent to Ethiopia to Gladney’s in-country representatives. They will take your dossier to be translated into Amharic and to be authenticated in Ethiopia. They will then hold your dossier ready to be submitted to the courts once you have received and accepted a referral.

You are now officially placed on waitlist to receive a referral! Currently, families have waited up to three to five months to receive a referral. Please keep in mind that this timeline is subject to change at any time. Congratulations on making it through the tedious dossier process!

I will be in touch with you as soon as a referral is ready for you. I ask for your patience during this time and completely understand that “waiting” is probably the most difficult (yet exciting!) part for most parents.

So, now the real wait does begin. I will try to be better about keeping this blog up-to-date.