THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

So, on October 22nd, 2009 we made the decision to pursue an African adoption.  And that very night, we called our social worker and told her that we had made our decision and that we wanted to get started as soon as possible.  We had another meeting with our social worker in November to update our homestudy and completed some training.  During this time, we also applied to Families Thru International Adoption/FTIA (our placement agency).  On December 29, 2009 our homestudy for International adoption was completed.

Over the next several months we gathered paper work for our dossier (a large chunk of papers about our family which includes employment letters, bank letters, tax information, photos, etc........).  And finally on March 22, 2010 (what would have been one of my sweet grandmothers birthday), after what seemed like an eternity we competed the paper chase and turned in our dossier to FTIA.  That was one of the greatest feelings ever, to know that all the paper work was done and the first part of the process was completed.  Total relief! 

On March 26, 2010 our dossier was sent to Ethiopia to be translated and reviewed.  The wait officially began!  We were told that our wait would be between 0 and 6 months.  During this time, we completed more training and did lots of praying! 

Four and a half months into our wait, we got THE CALL!!!!!  On August 6, 2010 we get the call that we have been matched with a little boy!!!  Salome (our social worker at FTIA) gave me a little information about him and sent us an email with his medical info and picture.  She told us his African name, his age (8 months),  and his date of birth (November 15th).  I called Will to tell him to come home and all I could do was cry. His first words when he heard me crying was, "Did we get the call?"  Through the tears I was able to give him the information that Salome gave me.  I tell him to get home quickly, safely, but quickly!

He gets home and we open the email and seeing his face for the first time was love at first sight!  We were speechless!  This was the moment that I have dreamed of for sooo long!  All I could do was stare at that sweet face!  And you know, God has such a sense of humor because at lunch that very same day, I looked at Will and told him that the wait was getting harder and that I didn't think that we were EVER going to get the call.  It seemed like everyone else in the Ethiopia group was getting referrals and travel dates and I felt so left out!  I know that God chuckled because He knew what was going to happen.  His timing is impeccable!!!  Once Liam woke up from his nap, we showed him the picture of his little brother and we let him name pick his name (we had two named that we couldn't decide between, so we let Liam choose from those two names.)  He was all smiles and so very proud :D

On August 11, 2010 we took our referral acceptance paperwork to FTIA!  We also heard from the medical specialist that we sent his medical records to.  The specialist said that he looks pretty healthy based on the information that was sent to us.  She was however, concerned with the measurements of his head.  She feels that his head has grown too rapidly.   So, she suggested that we order a CT Scan to get a better idea of what's going on.  This was something that was very hard to hear.  It was hard because not only do we want him to be healthy, but if our baby is sick, we want to be with him. And now he has to have a CT Scan and mommy and daddy are all the way across the world.  That's where faith comes in...

So, on August 25, 2010 the CT Scan was requested.  And our acceptance paperwork was sent to Ethiopia on August 27th.

Which brings us to today, August 30th.  Waiting, again........waiting to hear the results of Tytus' CT Scan, waiting to hear when he will be transferred from the orphanage to the transition home where he will stay until he comes home and waiting for a court date which will be our first travel dates.   We're hoping to hear about his CT Scan within the next day or two as well as when he will be moved.  We probably won't hear about a court date until their court system re-opens in late September.  We're hoping to make our first trip mid October and hoping that we will have him home by Christmas!  So, stay tuned, there's lots more to come!