Fingerprints! CHECK!

Fingerprint appointment done! Another huge step to check off on the road to bring ivey home. We went to Atlanta on a very whirlwind trip. Very quick - no time to see friends - just fingerprints and Ikea, Lunch & Trader Joes in under 3 hours! Corey worked the night before so he hadn't slept yet - so he was up for almost 24 hours straight! BOO! But he was a champ. The fingerprinting place was very surreal. Just a strange place all together - they treated us like criminals - no purses, bags, cell phones and honestly they just weren't that nice. So very glad that is over - and PRAY we don't have to do those again!
"the application support center" - still have no real idea what else is done here....

a quick stop at trader joes - oh how I wish we had one of these in our town!

lunch at the yummy zocalo

a quick run through IKEA - honestly the BUSIEST I have ever seen it! Glad we got out of there as fast as we did.

Back home and I thought this saying was perfect for the day....
Let's remember why we go together so well :)

We are so lucky to have each other on this journey!

Next step - finish dossier and get it turned in!

Dream a pretty dream

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had the realization that Ivey could already be born......

puts everything into perspective.....

makes us dream a little bigger....

won't you all dream with us?

Getting a few steps closer to bringing Ivey home

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Here's what we have been up too since my last post:

We are a few steps closer to Ivey!!

Our home study was officially approved!

We sent off our immigration papers!

We got our fingerprint appointments 12/28/2011

So now to work on our dossier:

Dossier: When used in the context of adoption, this term refers to a set of appropriately authenticated and translated legal documents which are used in international adoption cases to process the adoption of a child in its own country by the adoptive parents, or for the adoptive parents to obtain the legal custody or guardianship of the child in the foreign court, so the child can be brought by the adoptive parents to the United States for adoption.

a little explanation of our next process:

After our fingerprints are completed we will receive a document stating that we are approved to bring a child back into the country. That document is part of our dossier. While we wait we will continue gathering all of our dossier documents and once we have that approval letter from USCIS we can submit our dossier. It can take 6 weeks or so after fingerprinting for us to receive the approval letter. So here's praying this next step goes quickly, that we get all our dossier paperwork together in a timely fashion and our fingerprints are accepted. Once the dossier is submitted and translated for Ethiopia we wait for our referral (the time right now is 8-14 months). So we have a ways to go, but we are getting closer and closer.

We appreciate EACH of you for all your support, prayers, hugs, love, donations and thoughts.

We couldn't do this without each of you.

with lots of love,

Tobi, Corey

Homestudy: CHECK!

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Last Thursday we had our homestudy. This was the 3rd one in this house in 5 years due to failed adoptions. We felt GREAT about this one! It was almost like this home visit made this adoption feel real. She left and we just felt good. We talked about what is left, what to expect while we are in ethiopia. It all just seemed real. We are dreaming big!!

Homestudy this thursday 9/22

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It is time.....maybe 3rd time is a charm.....we are having our 3rd homestudy at this house in 5 years. But still no matter what it makes us nervous. We never know if our house will be clean enough, safe enough, etc. So say a pray that all our hard work we are doing this week pays off and our homestudy is accepted. We appreciate each of you.....Homestudy is 9/22 @ 6:30 pm!

Much Needed Vacay

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the gorgeous sunset at our rental home in Cashiers, NC

corey with the girls at a small waterfall

a gorgeous waterfall in Cashiers, NC

my girls and I

We were so lucky to get away just the four of us (our fur babies went along for the trip). Corey had an unexpected week off and we took the time and ran to the mountains! First stop 2 nights in the beautiful Blue Ridge, GA - we rented a cabin and lounged, ate great food and spend time out with the beautiful view. Next up 3 nights in Cashiers, NC (this was a very special spot to us since we used to vacation there when we lived in Atlanta). It did not fail us. It was GORGEOUS - the view from our rental house was absolutely breathtaking. We spent our mornings with the view, evenings and even ate dinner outside. The weather never got above 78 degrees. My heaven. I was able to hike outside and never break a sweat. The girls loved it - it was olives first real mountain adventure. Our fur babies are naturals in the outdoors. We had grand plans to finish adoption online training -but to our surprise not much internet connection....which honestly was a very lovely surprise. It was great to unplug and spend time with my family. We had a fantastic week away. It had been way too long. We are in the middle of a crazy adjustment period with Corey's work schedule. He is working evenings and well....we neither one seem to be getting a hang of it. We know it isn't forever and we are VERY thankful for that. Until his schedule changes we will make the best of it like we always do. We are back on board with the adoption paperwork, online training then scheduling our homestudy.

We will keep you posted when the homestudy/last interview is scheduled. Thanks for all your support - we couldn't do it without our friends and family. Love to each of you.

Wait times

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Today we got news that the wait times have increased. Only 2 months.....but still 2 more months. So instead of 6-12 month wait for referral AFTER DOSSIER IS ENTERED it will be going up to 8-14 months. Just pray it doesn't keep increasing......

Individual Interviews: Check!

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I think is the perfect sentiment for our journey - we must always remember to BE BRAVE, BE HOPEFUL & BE STRONG....and to know we are always in this together.

Corey and I both had our individual interviews over the past few days. Check off another to do in getting ready for our adoption. After my interview we went over all the paperwork we have left to do, which luckily isn't much.....then the dossier paperwork starts. She thinks it will take about 5 months to get all of this done and sent off for the final approval. Next we need to finish paperwork and start our "training" which includes online work. We will have our home study soon also which will be another interview together at our house. From there we start immigration which takes 90 days. So luckily our social work has a system and is VERY helpful. So I hope and pray we will have everything done and turned in before Christmas - wouldn't that be a wonderful Christmas present? This week Corey and I are celebrating our 10th anniversary - and I truly believe this year we are starting a whole new chapter in our lives. We are so lucky to have each other and have been through so much in our first 10 years. We are so ready to add to our family....please pray with us that this is our time.

FORMAL APPLICATION ACCEPTED!

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It is official the journey has begun. Yesterday we heard that our formal application was officially accepted. This is the start of a long process but we are both STOKED. Trying hard not to get too excited but can't help but be beaming with excitement that we are closer to bringing Ivey Home. So now the fun part - lots more paperwork, dossier, fingerprints, interviews, homestudy, update passports. So stay with us....I will update you whenever we have any news. And follow our adoption timeline to see what steps we have taken.

We love you guys - thanks for being part of our journey....WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!

thought it was appropriate to post this picture - just happened to get my pink touched up in my hair on the day we were formal accepted to adopt Ivey :)

1st Interview Down

Even though Corey and I are both under the weather - we shined ourselves up and put on happy faces to go to our 1st interview for the home study portion of this adoption process. The interview went wonderful and we updated a lot of paper work which is VERY helpful considering how much paper work we have left.

Here is a photo outside our house to document this moment :)

Doctor Visits & Test

Tobi's Doc appointment CHECK

Tobi's Drug test CHECK

Tobi's TB test CHECK

next? :)

corey has done drug & tb - now he will just have to do his doc appointment. We LOVE checking off our to do list!

little bump in the road

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So first bump in the road....let's hope first and only! But they need a doctors letter for me explaining my health - so I have a doc appointment on Monday to get the letter and go ahead and get my physical for the homestudy. They said that this wasn't unusual for them to ask for a letter and to not worry about it. So I won't......it will be just fine, but just in case let's all say a little prayer ;)

The Adventure Begins

Here we are ready to mail off our formal application for ethiopia adoption. Lets try this again!!! Hopefully this will be the first step to a beautiful adventure to bring our daughter home. They say we should find out by tuesday if we are accepted.....then the real paperwork happens.