Watch out DETOUR AHEAD

THE ROAD ENDS HERE YOU MUST TAKE A DETOUR!


I received some big news today.  Get ready for it.  You won't believe it.  Are you sitting down?




Kazakhstan has put adoptions on hold.  Isn't that just fantastic?  Yep it is the truth.  I almost screamed when I found out, but I was at work and it wouldn't have been appropriate.  So what's next?  I need to change the name of the blog to...


Finding a Park in Nepal


I am going to Everest!  Who wants to join me?

The Journey Continues!

Hi all - I heard back from the Social Worker today and she will be doing another home visit this coming Friday.  At least I can say that she is quick.  No one else is.  I am learning to take things in stride, and it has been great to hear from so many people who have been going through the same things I have.  At least I know what is happening now and I am not waiting for the FBI.  I think that was the worst part.

It was great to hear from  Beth who has used the same adoption agency that I am using when she adopted a beautiful son from China.  Beth I may need some advice in the future on what to expect.


I am in Atlanta for a few days and I have a long week ahead of me.  I hope you all have a great week!

Rachelle

Starting All Over!

It feels like I have been spinning my wheels the last 7 months.  With the latest revelation that my mother's prints may never be readable I must either give up or press on.  So I press on.  I heard back from my Social Worker and it sounds like I will have to redo a lot of the Home Study.  This will cost more money and take more time.  I even have to meet with her again since I am removing my mother from the picture.  Oh yes, I even get to get fingerprinted again.  The one thing I won't have to do is apply to Immigration, but I do have to send an updated Home Study and a letter explaining the change.

So that is the latest.  I am going to quit thinking about a Fall trip to Kazakhstan and hope I won't be traveling in the winter.  This Texas girl could not take a month or more in such a cold climate.  Of course I will do whatever it takes and suffer through the cold.

I hope you all have a nice Sunday.  I am heading out to mow the yard.

Just When You Think It Can't Get More Complicated!

I first want to say that I appreciate all of the encouragement I have been receiving.

Ok, so today I called the FBI and the nice agent that I had talked to referred me to the FBI Customer Service to find out what my options are at this point.  The perfectly rude Customer Service Representative said that I do not have any options.  They must be able to get readable prints for my mother.  I did find out that she can go to a fingerprint specialist who will scan her prints electronically and then print them on the fingerprint card.

So I do a lot of research on the internet, called the TX Dept. of Transportation and finally find a company that have the scanning capabilities.  I scheduled an appt. for my mother to go and get her prints scanned.

Then my Adoption Agency contact, Sara, calls me and we discuss the options.  We fretted about the fact that her prints still may not be readable.  Sara said she would discuss my issue with the agency and call me back.

Sara called me right back and said that the best thing I can do at this point is just take my mother off of the Home Study and change the status with Immigration.  She said that I would need to send a letter to Immigration to have my I 600 A form changed.  This does seem like the best option at this point.  But guess what else????  My fingerprints are getting too old to be accepted by legal review.  So I probably will have to be fingerprinted again!

I sent an email to the Social Worker who did the Home Study so that she can make the adjustments necessary.  Then when I got home I looked at my Immigration approval and it said I can get a revised form, but I have to send in a revised Home Study along with the original form.

So I am in waiting mode again hoping to hear from the Social Worker very soon.

I hope you are all having a better week than I am!

Cheers!

ARGH!

I received a package today from the FBI.  Guess what?  My mother still does not have readable prints.  I am so frustrated that I could spit.  I don't even know what to say at this point.  I am going to call them tomorrow and beg my case.  The form that was sent back does indicate that my mother should be able to get electronic scanning of her fingerprints.  We know the scanning works because her prints were approved by immigration through electronic scanning.  So I am hoping that worst case scenario is she can go back to immigration and get the electronic scanning done.  I will send an update as soon as I know the next step.

Please send positive thoughts my way.

What's New?

Everyone keeps asking me when will I update the blog.  Well unfortunately I have not had anything new to report.  I am still waiting on my mother's clearance from the FBI.  I appreciate the feedback and encouragement from other adopting parents from around the country.  It takes everything I have to not scream with frustration.  I am not use to not being in total control of everything.  The adoption process is teaching me to let go a little.

I will let you all know once things get rolling again.  Thanks again for reading the blog and for the support.  Hopefully someday in the not too far future I will be flying off to Kazakhstan to meet little Tennyson.

Rachelle

Boy Oh Boy!

I had a long conversation with my adoption agency advisor today.  There seems to be a lot of concern about this fingerprint delay so I was advised to contact my local congress person to help speed it up.  So I emailed my congress woman today asking for help.  

My advisor, Sara, also dropped a bombshell today.  For a few minutes I thought I would be shucking the idea of adopting from Kazakhstan.  Yes I am serious!  She asked me what I felt about a 5 year old.  I first thought, "UGH."  She further explained that they just aren't getting children under four years.  I said that I did not want an older child.   So she looked at her notes and they still said that I wanted a girl between 18 months and 2 1/2 years.  I told her that everyone had explained that I couldn't designate and needed to say I would take up to 4.  So she said, "You are willing to take a boy."  I said, "Whatever is meant to be will happen, so yes I will take a one year old boy over a 5 year old girl."  She said, "Then you will get a boy."  

So there you go, it looks like I will be getting a boy.  That is if I can ever get this thing done.  

The other thing that we discussed is that I will not be traveling until the fall.  I thought it would happen before that, but what do I know.