We got the call today from our adoption agency while I was home for lunch with Lenna. Only 15 days after receiving our completed and translated dossier, ICBF (the government agency in Colombia that oversees the protection of children) approved us for the adoption of Yamile! We were told this approval could take 1-3 months! Needless to say, we were excited to receive the call - I had goosebumps all over.
Lenna and I were able to hear the news together and had wide smiles on our faces. We immediately told Rebecca, and then the three of us proceeded to Subway to tell Annalisa while she was working. We had a mini-celebration right there in the restaurant, even splurging for some warm cookies.
Now it feels like things may actually start rolling along. The next step is to await the official referral from ICBF. We've been told that may take 2-3 weeks. Once we receive it, we will need to apply with U.S. Immigration (USCIS) for an I800. This takes about 3-4 weeks to process. Following that, we will then establish a travel date, go to the Colombian embassy in San Francisco for a visa that allows us to conduct business in Colombia, and prepare for our trip. If it all goes quickly, we may be traveling as soon as early August. With Yamile's birthday on August 24th, we have a strong chance to celebrate her 10th birthday with her. The Lord has great timing!
So ... the countdown begins (continues?).
Friday, June 4, 2010
New Friends in Atlanta
Well, it's certainly been a while since we posted anything. We've had the pleasure of making some new friends in Atlanta. A couple weeks ago we contacted a couple who had adopted from the same region (Huila) in Colombia where we will be adopting from. Furthermore, the girl they adopted actually is from the same city (La Plata) as Yamile.
We thought we'd give them a quick call, knowing it was 8:30 in the evening where they live. We ended up hanging up the phone nearly 4 hours later. Thank you, Leon and Jan, for giving us your time that way and sharing your adoption stories with us. It has helped to paint the picture of what Neiva will be like and has given us an understanding of some of the challenges, surprises, and celebrations we will encounter once we're home with our daughter.
As it turns out, their daughter looked at the picture of Yamile on the blog and says she remembers her! It's a small world, which is under God's sovereignty.
We thought we'd give them a quick call, knowing it was 8:30 in the evening where they live. We ended up hanging up the phone nearly 4 hours later. Thank you, Leon and Jan, for giving us your time that way and sharing your adoption stories with us. It has helped to paint the picture of what Neiva will be like and has given us an understanding of some of the challenges, surprises, and celebrations we will encounter once we're home with our daughter.
As it turns out, their daughter looked at the picture of Yamile on the blog and says she remembers her! It's a small world, which is under God's sovereignty.
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