Seasoned Pros

It's interesting...

How similar, yet different, our second adoption journey is shaping itself to become. In less than three months, we find ourselves where we were at the six month mark in our first adoption. I'm also amazed as how calm and peaceful I truly feel. Part of this may be attributed to the fact that we're (apparently) "seasoned pros" or that we have C to keep us occupied with his daily antics and the new discoveries that each day brings.

We had our CIS appointment on June 24th, as scheduled. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly we completed the process that day (E and I had brought reading materials with us, just in case). The staff were very pleasant. And now, we wait for the wonderful I-171H approval, which signals the final step in the dossier collection process. From there, our documents will be authenticated & sent to ET (and we'll be on the official "wait list").

I suppose it helps to have summer vacations and travel plans to help the time pass more quickly. I'm enjoying the summer break from my teaching schedule (the downside to time passing more quickly means August 18th will arrive before I know it!).

We have a new ET caseworker through the agency, A. We're looking forward to working with her and have enjoyed discovering commonalities. She, like E, was born in PA and lived here in NC before moving to TX (and, sounds like she's a Tarheel fan...we'll get along just fine :D ).

As with our first adoption journey, we won't prepare our daughter's room until after we receive a referral and are closer to court approval and travel. Unlike C's room, it won't have to be painted (it's already a very pretty shade of pink) - and the house is already child-proofed! We'll also wait to see our beautiful daughter & learn her ET name before determining whether we will keep her ET name or have a blended name (like we did for C).

On Friday evening, an African Children's Choir will be performing at a local church. I look forward to attending the event with my family. We're also planning to have dinner at a local ET restaurant very soon w/ friends (B teaches African politics & spent a year teaching in Kenya). I've had the pleasure of eating there before and look forward to returning for more delicious cuisine.

All for now. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers!