Monday, October 17, 2011

i800a check has been cashed

The check has been cashed by the USCIS, and I also rec'd my notification in the postal mail (as I had required a signature to know it arrived). Both of these seem to be good sign.

My thoughts are on the $890 check being cashed:

...so is that a good thing?

...does that mean our i800a paper work is being processed?

...just so curious, such a very important document.

...anyone who has "been there, done that" please feel free to chime in. Thanks so much. :-D

Blessings, Lynette

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Thank you Calvary Baptist Church in Oceanport NJ :-D

Our dear church family supported us with a yard sale fundraiser this past weekend.

The results were amazing for this little church with a BIG heart!

The fundraiser raised 1400 dollars!! 

This included sale profits of 400 dollars, an anonymous donor who had pledged to match whatever the sale made (which brought the sale amount to 800), 
anther anonymous donor who gave 500 dollars,
and yet another who gave a gift of 100 dollars.

Our hearts are warmed
beyond measure!

Here are some pictures from the day of the sale:












http://www.lifeatcalvary.com/

Blessings, Lynette

I800a is on it's way, and now for some Cupcake Therapy

VERY important paper work is on it's way to Texas.


And now for some Cupcake Therapy.



It was surreal to go over the checklist in my head, to realize that I actually had a completed home study in the envelope with the i800a form (both of which were major items on the checklist months ago), and that a little girl is waiting for her mama on the other side of the world, and OH, by the way, that mama would be ME!

Also, surreal is the amount of money going out for the process right now:
The aforementioned i800a was mailed with a check for 890 dollars.

In other news, also mailed today were the  Dossier fee to our agency for 3,000 dollars, and the Adoption Medical Specialist fee for review of our little girl's medical information at a total of 500 dollars. (The last fee is on the lower end compared to others I have heard of...)

And faxing was done today for the adoption as well.

The adoption process is a job unto itself!

Ask any adoptive parent and they will tell you that it is all worthwhile!

(Now, where did I put those cupcakes?.....)

Blessings, Lynette

the death of me....

Our " 800 a " will be the death of me, UGH, it's not even like it is that hard to fill out...it's just the immense pressure to be sure it is all correct; down to the littlest thing.


Blessings, Lynette

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Learn from my mistake, do not fax your LOI. ;)

To all my hormonal, worried, anxiety ridden adoption-mama-to-be blog friends out there...this post is for you.

If you receive your referral from Holt, and have to send your LOI on a Saturday when no one is in the office.

DO NOT fax it them (actually any time, do not fax it!)

LOI's are supposed to be EMAILED ONLY.



I personally made a mistake (not Holt--- just me by myself)

and caused my self hours of worry, and loss of sleep.

My husband and friend Julie were right, they said calm down and trust in the Lord. My poor mother had to listen to me on the phone all day and night.... (note that since it was a Saturday no one was at Holt to check their phones or email...but I was required to send an extremely important document on Saturday)

Instead I trusted in worry.

Bad choice on my end!

The good news now is that Beth at Holt confirmed that they have my pdf that I emailed last night, at oh, about midnight. (about 15 hours after the fax I sent in the morning)

Fiery darts tried to steal away my JOY.

Not going to happen!!!!!

I am excited BEYOND measure about my little bundle of JOY.

Just remember, do not fax the LOI. (big sigh)

I love my girls at Holt.

Beth gets an impressively BIG gold star for taking care of me these past days.

Blessings, Lynette

Saturday, October 1, 2011

REFERRAL !!! & LOI !!! IT'S A GIRL !!!!

We have a referral!

Apparently a list came out on Thursday night, or thereabouts.

We got our call later on Friday!

IT'S A GIRL!

SHE IS AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL!

We faxed our LOI this morning EARLY and just found out moments ago that they never got the fax ("oh fiddlesticks", she says as she hopes that the anxiety does not destroy her)

Being that we do not have a fax in the house, this is super big time anxiety settling in at 11pm and how >>for the love of Mike<< am I going to sleep??!!

Anyway, we will not allow that to destroy this happy moment:

REFERRAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHOO HOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And as friend Julie, in celebration mode,  says on facebook:

CAKE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MUST HAVE CAKE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, as I bid you goodnight, I hope to hear my phone ring. As I lay in bed worrying, praying for a call to confirm that the fax has been found...or at the very least that they know we do INTEND to accept this referral.

If not, then off I'll go to hunt down a fax early Sunday morning, with my bags under my eyes because of lack of sleep.

The bumpy road continues...but this time, I am smiling ear to ear anyway! ;)

Take THAT, silly old fax!! We have a daughter, and you can't take that joy away!!

Blessings, Lynette