March 9, 2012

So aside from this feeling that our referral is getting closer the following things have happened this week:
- I had a dream last Saturday that we were emailed our referral information and then my brother and sister-in-law were telling me something about the number 9. When I woke I was compelled to think that the number 9 was tied to our referral somehow...9 days, 9th day of the month, 9 weeks, 9th month...who knows!
- Emmett said a few days ago, "My sister is almost here!"
- Gavin was playing his MP3 player a couple days ago and started singing "I just haven't met you yet" (the song that has reminded me of our daughter since we started our process 2 years ago)
- I heard the song "A thousand years" 3 times yesterday (reminding me of this waiting for her and meeting her)
- The boys were watching "Meet the Robinsons" yesterday and I happened to walk in the room just at the part where the mother is leaving her baby at the orphanage. I was overcome with sadness for this loss in our daughter's life and then continued to watch the movie and see the little boy become adopted into a loving family...
- I was able to be at the airport to welcome home my friend's little boy as they returned home with him from Ethiopia. An amazing experience and such joy in this homecoming. She at one point turned to me and asked, "Did you get a referral?"...
- Emmett woke up this morning crying and saying "I want to see my sister...I want to see my sister's picture!"

I cherish these things and they continue to give me hope...

March 3, 2012

We are officially #23 for February (#22 unofficially). There is joy this month as many families have just traveled to bring home their children after months of waiting for embassy clearance!

We just updated our homestudy and redid our USCIS fingerprints (another fun 5 hour round trip for a 5 minute stay at the USCIS office in Schaumburg). One hopeful part of this recent redo of our paperwork process is that we are now approved for a girl 1-3 years old. I feel that in some way this is bringing us one step closer to our daughter!

February 8, 2012

We are officially #25 for January (#24 unofficially). We have been informed from our agency that the embassy clearance time has currently increased to 4-6 months. Hoping for some positive changes to happen soon!