MORE Waiting!

With the good news on Friday that we had the translation of the referral, I put together our next round of paperwork on Sunday in preparation to send Monday after I talked with our agency. Well I found out on Monday that we didn't quite have everything. The agency has requested more documentation from Colombia that we will need for filing the papers with immigration. So we are in wait mode again!!

Johan is going to love this hot steamy weather we are having! I'm just afraid he won't get here until it gets cold again!

Carrie

MORE Fingerprints!

A week ago Friday our rep from the agency told us that we had to re-do our FBI clearance - which means even more fingerprints! Well we had quite the episode this week trying to get these done. The first time we had them done we went to the Troy Police Department and a friend of ours did them for us. They had the paper card to complete them. This time we went to the Troy PD and they said we had to bring our own card because they are out of them - and no one seemed to know where we could obtain them. Well, after numerous conversations with our agency and our friend Carol (the one from Oakwood who is adopting) we received the news that the FBI no longer accepts paper prints - only electronic. I found this odd since our agency originally told us that they only accepted paper prints! It was quite the run around and ordeal. So yesterday I decided to cut to the chase and call the FBI directly. And contrary to what we learned they do still accept the paper version and we can download the form from the web! I should have started there first!!

The next challenge was finding an agency that would do the prints same day. Troy only does them on Tuesday's and Thursday's. Vandalia will not book same day - you have to book at least a day in advance. Finally I found out the Shelby County Sheriff department and Tipp City Police would do them on a walk-in basis. So challenge solved! (especially since Tom was up in Shelby County and I was close to Tipp City!). Fingerprints done (yet again!).

We received our translated referral yesterday (Friday). Which means we can now submit all of our other paperwork! I'm prepping that this weekend so we are ready to roll first thing Monday.

Have a great father's day everyone,
Carrie

Referral!

Great news! We received word that our referral arrived at our agency yesterday!! This is MAJOR progress. It will take about a week or week and a half for it to be translated. Once it is translated we file it with the next round of paperwork. Those take about 4 weeks for approval - then we will receive our notification to travel. The agency thinks we will travel in August (I, of course, am hoping for a late July departure!).

So things are finally moving!
Carrie

More Waiting! With a little action.

Last I posted (end of April!) we had just received notification of approval. At that time the adoption agency told us they thought it would be about 3 weeks to referral. I was as patient as I could be and let it go to 5 weeks. At 5 weeks I started emailing our (new) contact at the agency asking for an update. No response...(which added up to great frustration!)

So this week marked 6 weeks and I was tired of hearing nothing. So I called our new rep and left her a message. I gave her 24 hours - and still no response. So I called her boss - who is out for 3 weeks. Then I called her boss. I finally received a call from someone named Argerie who is the Country Manager. Her first respond to my plight was that she would be going to Colombia in July and she would inquire about our case. I said 'JULY! WE'RE EXPECTED TO WAIT UNTIL JULY TO GET A STATUS UPDATE!?'. She quickly retreated (since I'm sure I sounded as if I might cause bodily harm) and said she would call their rep in Colombia and see if she could find out anything.

I received a call back a few hours later (squeaky wheel works sometimes). Argerie said she talked to the in-country rep who said our referral was all done in the region and had been sent to Bogota - who would then be sending it on to us. So good news! (FINALLY) Argerie estimates we'll have the referral in about a week! (I'm trying to manage my expectations and not get my hopes up - but it's TOO LATE!)

Our other hot topic has been our move. We moved into our new house on May 30. When we put our house on the market I knew it was going to be tricky with the adoption. I am (still) hoping it doesn't delay us any. I lined up the fire inspector to come on June 2 and our social worker to visit on June 3. I picked up our ammended home study today - which we now have to file with our dossier and the USCIS. Which means another Apostille (and a trip to Columbus Monday).

So that's our news.
Happy Friday,
Carrie

WOO-HOO!! GOOD NEWS!

We received this email today:

Dear Trotter Family:

Your have been officially approved by ICBF to adopt Johan. The approval notice will be sent to Region to update Johan’s documents for the official referral. We are guessing that the official referral will come in about 3 weeks.

Thanks

Olga Tasso – Colombia and Perú Adoption Programs
Children's Home Society & Family Services

New Friends & Schools

Anyone who knows my mother knows how she LOVES her Winan's coffee. I think a big part of the enjoyment is sitting downtown and chatting with the people that come into the coffee shop. Well last year some time she was chatting with someone and sharing our adoption story. The person gave her the name of a man who is from Colombia who goes to the Presbyterian church in town. She passed the info to me and I stuck it in my notes and in the back of my mind. A few weeks ago we finally decided to strike up a conversation with Mario - the guy from the Presbyterian church. I called him and explained our situation and he was more than willing to chat with us. He's a younger man and he works at the church while attending seminary in Dayton. His calling is to work with kids! He was thrilled to hear about our adoption journey and can't wait to meet Johan when we get back. We're pleased to have found this new friend for us and for Johan. Thanks, Grandma!

The same day we visited with Mario we also went to the school Johan will attend next fall. For those of you locals - this happens to be the old Van Cleve building. They moved all of the 6th graders there a few years ago. We met with Mr. Keller, the Principal who talked to us about the school and English as a Second Language (ESL) students. We also chatted briefly with Mrs. Bozik the counselor and a long time friend of my Aunt Gloria's. It was a good visit. Afterwards we found out that my step mother, Linda, used to teach under Mr. Keller several years ago. She and my Dad know him very well and boasted of his abilities.

Other than those activities the wait continues. It's Holy Week so I don't expect to hear much from Colombia this week. I'm hoping we get the referral next week which would put travel time approximately late May or early June. We'll see!

Happy Easter,
Carrie

Dossier submitted!

It finally happened! The planets aligned (as did our paperwork) and our dossier has been submitted! Of course it wasn't without more challenges. I was glued to the mailbox for days waiting for our certified documents come from various states. Once we received those - they had to be turned around and sent back to the State to be Apostilled. I sent 12 to Ohio one day only to be dismayed when they showed back up in our mailbox about a week later. They didn't have the proper certification. So I had to go to Miami County Court and Montgomery County Court to have the notarized documents certified before they could be Apostilled! Crazy! I ended up taking a half day off work to drive to Columbus to have them Apostilled in person.

I sent them to our agency in Minnesota on March 5th. It was a strange feeling letting the documents go - they were like gold - if anything happened to them and we had to start over I don't know what I'd do. I just don't even like to think about that.

Anyway - the documents are now on their way to Colombia. They will be translated then submitted to the ICBF - Colombia's version of Child Welfare Services. Once they approve the dossier they will send us a referral. At that point we can apply for our visa's - then make travel plans. I'm guessing about another 3 months - but really have no idea.

We had a short email conversation with Martha last week. She said Johan is well. She seems super busy right now. Per one of the many documents from the government we are not allowed to have contact with Johan's foster family so we are unable to call him. We just hope he is happy and healthy and we can't wait to see him.

Carrie