So, first the Good News…
We’re OFFICIALLY MATCHED!! YAY!! A very large, important, step
that we are now past. This means that John-Patrik is ours according
to the Lithuanian Central Authority! They read through our Home
Study, went through our paperwork, and liked us and don’t require
any additional documentation or information. Excellent! (We like
you too, LCA!!)
And now for the
slightly less good news… We will not be traveling until Aug. /
Sept. (*sigh*) Yes, I’m disappointed. VERY. I thought we were
just weeks from traveling and the much awaited
meeting of our son. But I was wrong. And this is why… In our
“Adoption Process Guidebook” that the agency gave us it goes from
sending off your Dossier in section 5, to section 6: “Preparing to
Travel”. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE our adoption agency and
would refer anyone to them! They’ve been efficient, attentive, and
supportive! We’ve never had to wait more than I couple of hours to
hear back from them about anything; they rock! (An Open Door
Adoption Agency out of GA.) They just need to update the guidebook is
all. The other reason I thought we’d be leaving sooner is because
the I-800A approval only took 30 days instead of 70. And it did
knock off a month and a half, but not enough to go get him before
August. So now that we’re matched with our Little-Bit a bunch of
other stuff can finally happen in order for us to move forward, each
item needing a few weeks respectively:
Our
contact in Lithuania receives the official proposal matching us to
John-Patrik from the Central Authority
She
translates it and sends to us via email.
We ask
questions and/or accept the proposal.
Our
contact gets permission from the LCA to visit John-Patrik…
She
visits him, talks to caregivers, teachers, doctor’s, takes new
pictures. She sends information and pictures to us.
We
formally accept referral.
Article
17 letter issued
We file
the I800 with USCIS (second half of the I-800A process for
immigration)
US
Embassy in Lithuania issues the article 5 letter.
We file
the DS260 immigrant visa form online
Agency’s
lawyer takes documents to court and the computer randomly assigns us
a judge
Once
judge is assigned, the lawyer speaks to judge and gets court date
Then
we plan travel.
Also,
while all this is happening John-Patrik will be getting another round
of many doctor and therapist visits and an updated, full-disclosure,
medical report. Whereas before we got a brief overview, this report
will be much more detailed.
Although the later travel is disappointing, I’m
really trying to keep perspective and stay positive.
First, God’s
timing is best… Period.
Second, the disappointment cannot
overshadow the awesome news that we’re officially matched; He’s
OURS!!! (WOO HOO!!)
3rd,
having our travel time later puts us into off-season pricing which
means food, airfare, and lodging will be significantly less expensive
and that is a really good thing!
4th,
It also means that we have plenty of time to comfortably raise the
remaining funds.
5th,
is that I don’t need to think about how my garden will get
harvested, canned, frozen, & of course eaten. Nothing will be
accidently wasted!
And the 6th
reason I can be positive is that now I have even more time to study
Downs Syndrome.
No,
I didn’t want to wait even longer, but this really isn’t about
me. Like, at all.
This has been God-driven from day one and, as much as my humanness
wants to take ownership of it, it’s not mine. It takes effort,
diligence even, to keep myself from trying to take it out of God’s
perfectly capable, Mighty hands. We just really
wanted to meet John-Patrik, and we will… just a little later.
In
other news… Thank you to everyone who
donated for our garage sale! We raised a nice amount that gets us
that much closer to Little-Bit!
…AND,
Thank You to Jody Price for the changing table! (My back thanks you
too!) And Thank you to Lisa Melo who donated the crib, portable
highchair, shopping cart cover, sheets, and pretty much John-Patrik’s
entire 4T wardrobe!! You guys are awesome!
Feeling
very blessed.
All for
Him,
Meg
(and Rich)
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