Lent

Our agency got our agreement and has signed it and sent it back to us. Also included is the I-600 and medical and reference forms. The homestudy soon to follow. I'm sure I'll be reporting as we get things sent it and checked off our list.

So, I've been trying to figure out what to give up for Lent. I know I don't have to give anything up - and there are plenty of years when I haven't - but I want to get a little closer in touch with the Catholic inside of me. I could give up some food, drinks, etc. But I think I want to focus on actions more than that. First, I've decided to give up road rage. I know that sounds odd. The truth is, I drive fine - generally just over the speed limit, I signal my lane changes and turns without fail, I am very aware of the cars around me, I plan ahead, etc. My downfall is a**hole drivers who speed excessively and don't signal. My adrenaline gets pumping and I feel like I want to block them out of my lane, or teach them a lesson or something. So I will speed to block them out or otherwise plot to foil their next move. I realize this is dangerous and stupid. So, 40 days of consciously avoiding that behavior should do me some permanent good. Other than that, I really should do something else - perhaps food related, work related? I'll come up with something.

Happening this week...

Well, this week we sent in our Agency Agreement along with a large check. Writing and sending this check made me feel like this is about to become very real. We are definitely committed now! I'm excited to be off and running with the whole process. I'm even quite organized. I've got this great pink and brown expandable plastic file folder with over a dozen slots and I've filed our stuff under their appropriately labeled sections. I should be so motivated and organized at work.

The next step will be to do the I-600 form and send that puppy to Immigration Services. Then the home study. Once the form is sent and the home study started we will start to tell people and it will be even more real!

We've not yet told our parents. For this reason, we've not yet told our friends and work places. It has been very tempting to talk about it, especially with Jen & Quinn, but we really need to let our parents in first! I think I've written this before, but the plan is to do that when my parents come out here in March - three weeks from today. We're trying to think of how to tell them. Do we tell my parents first? Or his? Do we do something cute? Tell them over a toast?

I don't want to sit them down and make it all serious. I don't want it to be about fertility issues and I don't want it to be about me.

I like the toast idea. I want it to be something to celebrate. Perhaps that is the best way. Have Ryan's parents over when my parents are here. Break out some cool champagne that I have. And toast to the new grandchild who will be traveling a long way to join our family!

I do have a fear that my mom will be surprised and think we should have worked on our fertility issues a bit more. That's ok though. I have been talking with her about every dr. visit and diagnosis over the past year. (Although I've been dealing with fertility stuff for the past 3+ years). I have not given them much warning, so this may be a bit of a shock! That makes me lean towards telling them separately from Ryan's folks. We'll see though. I know everyone will be happy for us and supportive.

The beginning of the paperwork

OK - We've only just begun the myriad of paperwork, but I need to vent already. Our agency (who is very professional and experienced and I trust their process) requires everything be notarized. The contract with the agency requires 8 signatures by both of us, and each of those must be notarized, then they want 2 notarized copies of the agreement. Then, the notary block is super long, there is lots of info that has to be included.

I guess I understand it, but it makes it a bit difficult. There is a gal at my work that can notarize things, and I will be asking her to help, but this will take some time and I want to catch her when she isn't busy. Also, our bank notarizes things for free...but again, this will take quite a long time. I guess I just need to enlist their help then thank them with Starbucks gift cards or something!

As a status update - as soon as we submit this contract with payment, we will be delving into the homestudy, immigration and dossier arenas. I believe our first step will be filing the I-600A with the Department of Homeland Security’s Citizenship and Immigration Services. This is to begin the process of receive approval to bring an orphan to the United States with an immigrant visa and then obtain citizenship upon entry into the U.S. Then we will begin the homestudy with a Nebraska licensed homestudy agency. This will involve a variety of background checks, social worker visits and interviews, and who knows what else. It is involved in every adoption, domestic or international. All the while we will be working to gather all of the materials required for the dossier. The dossier is the packet of paperwork that will be sent to Poland. So, my little notary complaints are extremely minor compared to the adventure ahead!