Woohooooo!!!!!!!! Last night, Mike and I finally received in the mail our completed home study (for Immigration). Within 30 minutes, we had the I600A form filled out and all necessary copies of our birth certificates and marriage certificate, as well as our original homestudy ready to be sent into the Department of Homeland Security (aka USCIS- Immigration Services). Today, first thing in the morning, I went to the bank and got the $685 money order to be mailed with our paperwork to Immigration (in New York City). So, today our paperwork was officially mailed to Immigration. From here, it will take approximately 2-3 weeks to receive an appointment card from them, for our federal fingerprinting appointment. After we have our fingerprints done, it will take another few weeks for our fingerprints (and for all of our paperwork) to clear through Immigration, and we will receive in the mail our I171-H (approval from the government to adopt an orphan abroad). Once this I171-H clearance is received, all of our paperwork (called our dossier) will be sent off to China, so that we can officially start the waiting process to be matched with our baby. :) We definitely met a milestone today (as we have done everything paperwork-wise that there is for us to do), so Mike and I will have a glass of bubbly tonight to mark the occasion.
Some other news on the forefront, Emily has announced to us (at the age of 2 ½) that she is going to be a teacher when she grows up “So I can teach my kids.” Needless to say, her daddy (also a teacher), was thrilled with her career choice. She also learned how to open and close large buttons by herself for the first time yesterday. She was grinning from ear to ear with pride. :)