Check Cashed!

So I was checking our bank statement and noticed that the check we sent with our Dossier, way back in April, for the translation fee has finally been cashed. I was starting to get "concerned" that something "wasn't" happening correctly because none of the three checks we sent with the dossier had been cashed. The one I was most concerned about was the translation fee and now it has cleared!!! WooHoo!

Daydreaming...

Some of you may have read my Daydreaming post on my other blog. Well, I've been at it again. This time I'm dreamin' about what kinds of things we might need for our little one. Tough thing is that we have no idea how old he* will be when we get to bring him* home. The youngest he'll be will probably be about 12 months. We're hoping the oldest he'll be when we get home is 22 months.

So, another blogger who's in the process of adopting has a link to Kaboodle, a wish list. I thought it was a really cute website and decided to start a couple of lists myself. See side bar under Links of Interest. I put a few things on there but I'm kind of clueless as to what to get!

I need your help!

Those of you 'in the know', please comment here on what you think we'll need, or can't do without, for a child that's between 12 and 22 months old. You'll need to sign in to make a comment. If you don't have a blogger account, it's super easy to create. Just click HERE , or go to blogger.com. (Be sure to write your username and password somewhere so you don't forget it)

On the topic of Comments: I am creating a memory book using these posts along with their comments, so please make comments so I have something to look back on. Thanks to all who've commented so far. It's really fun to read what you're thinking and it's encouraging to know you're checking on us.

Latest news about our paperwork is that our i-171H has been apostilled, sent to our Agency, and they have sent it to Russia. Woohoo!

I think that's all I have for you today! Thanks for lookin'!

*Though it's remotely possible we get a little girl, it's not likely, so rather than always say he/she or them, I will just use "he/him".

Reality.....

So we get this letter in the mail. It's from the Bureau of Consular Affairs (our government). It basically says that our orphan petition application (the one we had approved), has been forwarded to the "visa-issuing post"... in Russia. The letter also includes a real address in Russia where our case has been forwarded.

It's becoming more and more real that this is truly happening. There is a place in Russia that is getting our personal information. Real people are going to be looking at it.

REALLY!

i-171H Received

We have finally received the "Notice of Favorable Determination".

We have been approved, by the USCIS, to adopt a child from Russia!

We have to make a copy and send it for an apostille. The copy will then get sent to Russia to join our other paperwork that's being translated. This clearance was pretty much the last thing we've been waiting for in order to be registered in a region. It will still be a while before we get assigned a region but at least all our "ducks are in a row". Woohoo!

7 months & Counting

According to the ticker at the bottom, we've been on this "expedition" for over 7 months. So, now we are in the waiting room. I got word that our Dossier is most likely being translated right now. That would be in Russia! The estimated time for a referral, from when we submitted our Dossier to the agency is 6 - 9 months. Looks like November might be the earliest we'd hear anything. Of course, we are praying for it to be sooner.

So then, how's about another Vocab lesson?

For Mrs. Salty:
Good morning = DAWB ra ye OO tra
Good night (couldn't find good evening) = spa KOY ne NAWCH ee
Hello = ah-LOH!
Goodbye = daas vee DAAN ya

Yes = dah
No = nyeht
Please = Puh-ZHAHL-stuh
Thank you = spuh-SEE-buh

Car = mah-SHEE-nuh
House = dohm
Boy = MAHL-chik
Girl = DYEH-booch-kuh

pryee-KRAHS-nuh (excellent!)