Just a quick update...we received notice in the mail today that our I-600 has been approved by the US CIS!!!! The official form they send us in the mail is called the I-171. On this form they noted "approved petition is being forwarded to Seoul by way of: US Dept. of State, National Visa Center." Its on its way...CELEBRATE!!!!
Now we wait some more. Next thing we should hear is that Luci has EP (Emigration Permission) and we have been told that this part of the process has been taking a while. So we prepare for a long wait, but we hope and pray for a short one!!!
On a side note, Luci's crib was delivered today. As soon as our electricity comes back on we will put it together!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Luci is 6 months old!
Our baby girl is 6 months old today...wish she were with us so we could celebrate...
Many of you are curious so I thought I would use the rest of the post to describe to the best of my knowledge how exactly we bring Luci home. What's next and why can't we just go get her NOW? I ask myself that everyday! Please pray for each step of the process! I apologize now for the length of this post...
Many of you are curious so I thought I would use the rest of the post to describe to the best of my knowledge how exactly we bring Luci home. What's next and why can't we just go get her NOW? I ask myself that everyday! Please pray for each step of the process! I apologize now for the length of this post...
Here's what has to happen prior to Luci coming home...
1.Legals. These are all the legal documents for Luci....the documents from Korea saying that she is available for adoption and her birth certificate. We got these this week, much quicker than we or our case worker anticipated! Praise the Lord! Our agency says that this can take 4-12 weeks after assignment. For us, it was exactly ONE week.
2. I-600. We sent this form yesterday and are hoping for approval in a couple of weeks. The approval will be sent to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS). This begins the visa process. This approval is called the I-171. (Please pray for the "US Citizenship and Immigration" officer that will be handling our approval. Please pray that his/her heart will be softened and that they will work very hard to get our approval...we included Luci's picture with our paperwork just to get the "softening" started)
3. The approval will be sent by CIS to the National Visa Center (NVC). (Please pray for those in the National Visa Center that will be working to help issue the visa. Pray for a quick response from them.)
4. The NVC then sends the approval to the US Embassy in Seoul (the time it takes for the approval date on our I-171 to the time it arrives at the Embassy can be 2-4 weeks). This approval has to be at the Embassy BEFORE the visa can be issued. Luci also has to have a passport before the visa can be issued. Once the passport is issued she will have Passport Permission (PP). (Please pray for the officers in the US Embassy in Seoul. Pray that Luci's visa will be issued quickly by that officer. Also pray for Luci's passport to be touched by hands that will move quickly to get her home.)
Each day we get closer and closer to Luci! We can't wait to meet her face to face and kiss those adorable little cheeks! We know you can't wait either!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
A Baby Girl!
-by the proud new papa
On Tuesday morning Heather got a call from our social worker and immediately called me. We got our referral! Until now, we'd all been assuming we'd end up with a son, but as it turns out, a beautiful baby girl is waiting on us. To make a long story short, we received the referral packet and reviewed our baby's background. We consulted with a family friend who is a pediatrician (trying to remain logical and objective - a pointless attempt). And on Wednesday I called the agency to accept our daughter, of course. Then we got pictures by email. I thought I was awestruck from the referral packet and the word-picture it painted. I was pretty much in love at that point. I was wrong. The pictures came in my email and it was over. I'm a goner. Completely smitten. Funny how a packet of papers and a few photos could make this all so real for me.
And now, this proud daddy would like to introduce to you...
Our baby girl, Luci Kate!
Luci was born - get this - on my birthday, July 16, 2008. How cool is that? The photo is at 5 months old (we think). She's a tiny, gorgeous thing and already melting hearts from half the globe away. (I'm trying to figure out how to bargain for that rockin' baby throne, too) Below are her 1 month, 3 months, and again 5 months old photos (this time with her foster mom).
Funny how I was so cool with the wait for referral. It was no big deal for me (though it was really beginning to wear on Heather). I knew we'd get referral of the right baby for us at the right time. Now I'm completely opposite: I'm anxious and impatient at best. They tell me she'll be here in God's perfect timing. Well, that sounds great and all, but I'm waiting for my baby girl who's separated from me by 15 time zones. I want to bring her home NOW people!
So I guess the difficult wait is upon us. We've sent in the formal acceptance paperwork (saying 'yes' requires a boat-load of signatures!). We're filing all the right US Gov. forms, feeding the bureaucracy with a singular purpose in mind - paving the way for my little girl to come home to us.
In the mean time, this big, furry, burly daddy is having fits. I've cried when I thought of buying a stuffed rabbit I once saw and sending it to her. I get all tight in the chest when I see her little picture staring down at me from the mantle. If you think you're coming to our home to hold her, well, you'll have a tough time prying her from my arms. I'll warn you. It won't happen easily.
And if there are any 6 month old little boys reading this and making plans for knocking on my door in about 16 years to take Luci out. I'm watching you...
On Tuesday morning Heather got a call from our social worker and immediately called me. We got our referral! Until now, we'd all been assuming we'd end up with a son, but as it turns out, a beautiful baby girl is waiting on us. To make a long story short, we received the referral packet and reviewed our baby's background. We consulted with a family friend who is a pediatrician (trying to remain logical and objective - a pointless attempt). And on Wednesday I called the agency to accept our daughter, of course. Then we got pictures by email. I thought I was awestruck from the referral packet and the word-picture it painted. I was pretty much in love at that point. I was wrong. The pictures came in my email and it was over. I'm a goner. Completely smitten. Funny how a packet of papers and a few photos could make this all so real for me.
And now, this proud daddy would like to introduce to you...
Our baby girl, Luci Kate!
Luci was born - get this - on my birthday, July 16, 2008. How cool is that? The photo is at 5 months old (we think). She's a tiny, gorgeous thing and already melting hearts from half the globe away. (I'm trying to figure out how to bargain for that rockin' baby throne, too) Below are her 1 month, 3 months, and again 5 months old photos (this time with her foster mom).
Funny how I was so cool with the wait for referral. It was no big deal for me (though it was really beginning to wear on Heather). I knew we'd get referral of the right baby for us at the right time. Now I'm completely opposite: I'm anxious and impatient at best. They tell me she'll be here in God's perfect timing. Well, that sounds great and all, but I'm waiting for my baby girl who's separated from me by 15 time zones. I want to bring her home NOW people!
So I guess the difficult wait is upon us. We've sent in the formal acceptance paperwork (saying 'yes' requires a boat-load of signatures!). We're filing all the right US Gov. forms, feeding the bureaucracy with a singular purpose in mind - paving the way for my little girl to come home to us.
In the mean time, this big, furry, burly daddy is having fits. I've cried when I thought of buying a stuffed rabbit I once saw and sending it to her. I get all tight in the chest when I see her little picture staring down at me from the mantle. If you think you're coming to our home to hold her, well, you'll have a tough time prying her from my arms. I'll warn you. It won't happen easily.
And if there are any 6 month old little boys reading this and making plans for knocking on my door in about 16 years to take Luci out. I'm watching you...
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