It's a Miracle
She is ours! She is ours! I can't come up with anything more coherent than that! :)
Welcome to our family Selamawit! :0)
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![[A]typical Family](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L10YE9O9C24/SnmjFbLIOxI/AAAAAAAABrY/geVCVXldHTE/S1600-R/blog+header.jpg)
Red Letters Campaign
*S* Adoption Timeline
- 8/1/09 - Home for good!
- 7/29/09 - Embassy Date
- 6/16/09 - Holy cow we passeed!
- 5/22/09 Case did not pass; MOWA reqeusting further information about birthparents; rescheduled for 6/16
- 5/21/09 Case still not heard; rescheduled for 5/22, but not expected to pass; MOWA requesting additional information before approval.
- 5/13/09 - court date 8 (or 9?) ... outcome TBD
- 5/7/09 MOWA letter not submitted, not sure of next steps...
- 4/16/09 Case not heard, rescheduled to May 7
- 3/26/09 MOWA letter still missing due to other missing paperwork; Court rescheduled for 4/16; new POA required, not hopeful
- 1/29/09 MOWA letter missing; Court rescheduled for 3/26
- 12/22/08 *S*'s mom failed to appear, rescheduled for 1/29
- 12/9/08 Court closed for extended holiday, rescheduled for 12/22
- 12/5/08 *S* mom arrived late, Court date rescheduled for 12/9
- 12/3/08 Court date was pushed back to 12/5
- 10/27/08 Found out about 12/3/08 court date!
- 10/8/08 Case Filed in Ethiopian Courts
- 9/12/08 Received 171h USCIS approval
- 8/10?/08 *S* Received Welcome Bag
- 7/31/08 Sent *S*'s Welcome Bag to Agency
- 7/26/08 Fingerprinting Appointment for USCIS Approval
- 7/22/08 Dossier sent to Ethiopia!
- 7/21/08 Sent Placement Agreement to Agency
- 7/3/08 Completed Dossier Sent to Agency
- 7/1/08 Sent I600A to USCIS
- 6/30/08 Completed Homestudy Received
- 6/20/08 Homestudy Update Meeting (finally!) :)
- 6/5/08 Knew there was no way we could not adopt *S*...
- 6/1/08 Admitted to each other we were seriously considering adopting *S*
About Us
- Cat and Mark
- We like to do things a little out-of-the-ordinary, shake things up a bit. Cat is an attorney and Mark is a graphic designer. We were gifted with two beautiful girls biologically and adopted another beautiful daughter and our "cool" son from Ethiopia in Spring 2008. We finished our third adoption this summer to bring home our oldest daughter! Feel free to follow us on our fun times... There really is no greater gift you can give someone than the gift of love, but not just that, the gift of love that a parent and child share.
Labels
Hana/Abenezer Adoption Timeline
- 3/23/08 Home!!!!!!!!!!
- 3/21/08 Visas Approved
- 3/12/08 Embassy Appointment
- 3/9/08 Leave for ET
- 2/14/08 Sixth Court Date - We Passed!
- 2/6/08 Fifth Court Date - rescheduled for 2/14
- 1/25/08 Fourth Court Date - Abi's Paperwork Found to be Messed Up the Week Before, Not Corrected by Court Date
- 1/21/08 Third Court Date - MOLSA letter still missing
- 12/21/07 Second Court Date - MOLSA letter missing
- 11/30/07 First Court Date - some incorrect paperwork
- 11/4/07 Found about about Court Date of Nov 30
- 10/26/07 Hana Received Welcome Bag
- 10/23/07 Submitted to Court as part of Group X!!!
- 10/4/07 Signed and Mailed Hana's Placement Agreement and Welcome Bag
- 9/18/07 Verbally Committed to Hana
- 8/29/07 Abenezer received his welcome bag
- 8/24/07 Received 171h (I-600A approval)
- 7/23/07 Dossier Sent to Ethiopia
- 7/16/02 Sent Abenezer's welcome bag
- 7/12/07 Fingerprint Appointment
- 7/8/07 Recieved Passports
- 7/5/07 Signed and Mailed Abenezer's Placement Agreement
- 6/29/07 Verbally Committed to Abenezer
- 6/23/07 Mailed out Completed Dossier to AAI
- 6/14/07 Received Dossier Paperwork
- 6/11/07 I-600A received by USCIS
- 6/1/07 Homestudy approved
- 5/29/07 Agency Contract Signed
- 5/27/07 Homestudy printed for our review
- 5/25/07 Made choice to adopt siblings!
- 5/16/07 Third (and final) meeting with SW for HS
- 5/8/07 All health documents collected/notarized
- 5/3/07 Second meeting with Social Worker for Homestudy
- 5/1/07 Local Police Clearance
- 4/24/07 First meeting with Social Worker for homestudy
- 4/14/07 Applied for passports
- 4/11/07 Sent in adoption homestudy application to homestudy agency
- 3/28/07 Sent in adoption application to agency
Related Links
- Adoption Advocates International (AAI)
- AHOPE
- There is No Me Without You
- Center for Desease Control (CDC) - East Africa
- Lonely Planet - Ethiopia
- Cool Ethiopian Art
- Ethiopian Names etc...
- Global Rich List!
- Melissa Fay Greene Video (then click "Launch Player").
- Haregewoin Teferra
- The so called "Face of Famine" survived...
- Wiki - Ethiopia
What I'm Reading
- There is No Me Without You - Melissa Fay Greene
- I'm Chocolate, You're Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Biracial Children in a Race-Conscious World: A Guide for Parents and Teachers
- Toddler Adoption: A Weaver's Craft - Mary Hopkins Best
- Banker to the Poor - Muhammad Yunus
- The Total Money Makeover - Dave Ramsey
- Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance - Barack Obama
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Ethiopian Flag
a family slideshow... (refresh for more)
34 comments:
YAY!!!! Congrats Cat and Mark on your new addition to the family!!!! I am so happy for you guys!!!!
YEAH!!!! I am so happy for you guys!! What a wonderful day. She is beautiful and her smile is incredible.
Amanda
Congrats! So happy for all of you. What a wonderfully exciting day! She really is a beautiful girl.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! I seriously think I am more excited now then I was when we passed court!! AHHHHHHHH!! Congratulations! Your daughter is just beautiful!!
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I am so happy for you all! Now go get her!!
Oh thank God!!!! She is beautiful! What wonderful, wonderful news for you. You've waited so long. I don't know what else to say - you must be absolutely beside yourself with joy!
Sherry
FINALLY!!! Congrats to you and your newest family member! May you get to bring her home safely and SOON!
Oh, WOW! Congratulations!! I'm SO very happy for you!!!!!
Oh my gosh! This is wonderful. She is so beautiful. I'm in tears over this! You've got be estatic!
Wonderful news! Congratulations on the newest member of your family! She's absolutely beautiful
Blessings, Heataher A
oh my word she is beautiful!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! have they given you a travel date yet? WAHOO!!!!
I know I said YEAH on fb but wanted to stop by your blog too! Here's to a speedy pick-up date!
smiles,
jen in mi
Can't believe it!!!! YAYYYYYY!!!!!
Finally...I am so happy for you to be able to move forward and go get her! It's about time. You're always in my thoughts...
-Cindy
Oh...praise the Lord!!! She is beautiful, I am SO excited for you and your family. Enjoy your celebrating tonight!!!
We are rejoicing with you!!
Lisa
FINALLY!! Congratulations. She is beautiful. You must be elated. Go celebrate now you guys deserve it!
Charotte
Awesome News Cat!!! I am so happy for you and Selamawit! Yeah!!
IT'S ABOUT TIME!!! I'm so happy for you and Selamawit. Please tell her I say hi when you finally get to travel!
HALLELUJAH!!!! I am ecstatic for you! What a ride this process has been...
How wonderful! I am so glad for you and your family!
YAY!!! I'm so happy for you!! What a great smile. At last. Praying that everything comes together for her to be home with you all soon.
YEAH! Congrats! I am so happy for you guys! Are you going to the Wisconsin gathering? Kirubel and I hope to meet up with you all soon!
Sara and Kirubel
FINALLY!!! Let me know when you drop the kids with mom and fly out so we can spend some time with them!!! So happy for you guys!
Congratulations! What soulful eyes and beautiful smile! So happy for you all.
Jenny
WOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOO! Yippee! Hip-hip-horray! Congrats!
I'm so excited for your family and I can't wait to see pics of your family of SEVEN!
NO WAY! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I'm SO happy for you guys! Finally!
She is beautiful! Congrats!
so nice to talk with you last week:)
Nicole
I am so happy for all of you!! Sweet Salem!!! I can't wait for her arrival! Congrats!
So excited for you! She is just beautiful! Just wanna hug her! ;o)
I'm so happy and thrilled you passed before curt closure. That is what we're praying for our little boys. I've lost count of court dates too...but it almost always happens someday. Yahoo for Selam!
Julee
Congratulations! Your struggle has been heart wrenching and I am so glad it has come to an end.
Yeah! Congratulations!
Shelby
Mark and Cat....AMEN! I know the rush of emotions you are feeling, I bet sleeping is something your just not even wanting to do right now. She is absolutely beautiful, cant wait to hear more plans. God Bless, my heart is so happy for you. Susie
Congratulations. Finally, at last. I have never seen anyone wait this long. I am so happy for you.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! She is precious. It's been a long road, and I am SO HAPPY for you!
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