OVERWHELMING

Well, I got my much anticipated "packet" in the mail today. It has a list of all the documents I need and spells out exactly what to do with each of them. I thought this would answer a lot of my questions...it just opened so many more! I can't wait until Monday to call Lindsay (my adoption worker) and go through everything together. That may be a LONG phone call.

So, anyway. I have a list of about 23 documents that have to be filled out or obtained, each one has to be notarized that they are true and then they all have to be sent to the VA Secretary of State (except my birth certificate--it goes back to WV) for that person to authenticate that the notary is valid. After this is sent back to me, I send it on to CHI and they triple check everything and send it on to DC where everything gets checked checked by the US Dept of State to make sure that everything is kosher. Then it goes from there to the Embassy of Ethiopia to get authenticated and then back to CHI. Once they receive, it gets expressed to Ethiopia where it is translated and printed and presented to the people over there and then I wait on them. Whew!!!

If that isn't enough to make your head spin, then consider that some of the above documents have multiple components. For instance, one of these documents is the home study (which so far has been a list of 16 documents). You get the picture. So most of the paperwork is waiting on other people to do stuff...I hate not being in control!!!

That is where I am right now. My passport is in processing (should be here in about 2 weeks) and I sent my application for my 171H (the paper that allows me to go to Ethiopia and bring a child back with me) which can't be completed until my home study is done. Hopefully, the home study will be done in about three weeks.

I'll keep everyone posted. In the mean time click on the link for Stacie's blog (at the right of my screen)--she is part of my group that is adopting right now. From there, you can link to a few other websites (I'll be adding them to mine shortly)...my favorites are Ethiopia or Bust and Baby G. They are both families working with other agencies that have recently gotten referrals and are waiting to travel. Absolutely adorable kids!