One step forward, two steps back.

After a very harried day that included getting both of our signatures, notarizing our I800A approval, getting money orders for the Chinese embassy, Tamara getting it all up to Tim who was managing the kitchen at the "Walk to Emmaus," Tim driving to OKC to get the notarized copy state sealed while Felix manned the kitchen and then Tim dropping it all off at FedEx, we found out yesterday that the craziness had been for naught. 

The courier that was to take all of our dossier to the embassy called and let us know that the Mississippi papers still needed a state seal.  We thought this had all been settled and when we asked the Oklahoma folks, just for verification,  his words were, "Why would you need to state certify something that was state issued?"  Good question, no?

So Tamara and Felix were here helping with the Walk and will fly home tomorrow.  Luckily for us, "home" puts them just a few hours from Jackson and that elusive state seal and Tamara's schedule is miraculously clear.  So she will drive to Jackson and then FedEx the new papers to our courier in Houston.  If all goes well the new documents will arrive in Houston on Wednesday to get to the embassy on Thursday.  Since it takes 4 working days (Th, Fr, Tue, Wed) and Monday is a holiday, I suppose she will pick up the papers to send to us on Wed or Thursday for us to receive by Friday.  This little snafu will have cost us a week but had Tamara and Felix not been here, it may have been worse.  Other than an emotional meltdown due to the high of everything working just right so that it could get accomplished to the frustration of things going wrong, not much harm done.  I shed a few tears knowing that if my mom or dad were still alive, I could count on them to go to Jackson to get this done tomorrow and the week wouldn't be lost.  Even though my parents have been gone a while, it is times like these that really make it hurt.  Is there anyone in the world you can rely on like you do your parents?  I want Jaden to have that.  Now. 

I800A Approval!!!

On August 18th we got a disappointing envelop in the mail.  It was a pink slip from US Citizenship and Immigration Services.  They needed more information from us.  On further study, what they needed was an additional line in our home study stating that the kids were told that they have a "duty of candor" during the adoption process.  Since they are both over 18, they both had to have been told this.  I guess if they are under 18 it would be okay for them to not tell the truth?  Hmm.
As it was the weekend, there was really no way to deal with this and so we just moped a bit and called it good.  Oh, I did send an email or two to the home study folks asking for help.  On Monday, Dillon was great and got it all taken care of for us and FedEx'd the addendum to Missouri.  Officer Ladd of the USCIS said that other than that, our file was clear and ready to be approved.  Tuesday we got the tracking number saying it was delivered.  Being quite patient, hehe, I managed to wait until today to call.  We have been approved and it should be sent out today!!!

For those of you who have never managed the particular maze that international adoption requires, the next few steps include a trip to OKC to get the I800A approval State certified and then a FedEx package to Houston so that all of the documents can be taken to the Chinese embassy for their authentification.  Once those two things are completed, the whole thing goes to California to BAAS (our adoption agency) so that they can send it to China for us.  That's when we will be able to say we are DTC or dossier to China, whoot!

Hang on Jaden, we're coming as fast as we can!

Somebody is Feeling Much Better!

Surgery Day

Today was an emotional roller coaster.  I awoke to an email telling me that Jaden was in the hospital preparing for his surgery.  I knew that it was coming up but I didn't realize it would be so soon!  It is a horrible feeling, knowing your child is in the hospital and not being able to be there.  Being physicians, we are not used to being out of the loop about health issues with our loved ones.  Luckily, we know he is in good hands.

We prayed and knew that that was the only thing we could do.

At lunch, we got an email letting us know that the surgery had been done and that he was doing ok.  He has a nanny with him and is doing a lot of sleeping.  They say he will be in the hospital a few days to heal and then he can go back to the orphanage.  We received a picture of him in the hospital after his surgery and it is the first time I've ever seen him without a smile on his little face.  I know that he is having some pain but hopefully he is getting the meds he needs.  I'm glad to see, though, that he has a happy nanny with him through this.