The Long and Winding Road: I'll Be Back

Monday, April 30, 2012

I'll Be Back

Dad and I are all checked in at the airport and about to start boarding. I don't have enough time to post much about the family good-byes (other than to say my eyes are very red) but I can share some of the pictures that Erin took (and THANK YOU for EVERYTHING Erin)!!!

Last picture of our family of four at home

Me and Jeff right before our goodbyes

Tears for the girls - the boys were a bit more stoic.

This will be the longest Jeff and I have been apart since he was in Grad school.

-B

3 comments:

UnknownMay 1, 2012, 9:04:00 AM
you are in my thoughts and prayers Britta! I've been thinking about you for the last hour now!!!! Hope it went smoothly and arrival was seamless and easy! xoxo!
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erinMay 1, 2012, 7:47:00 PM
Heard you arrived safely...such good news!I'm so proud of you & excited about tomorrow.
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MarcieMay 1, 2012, 9:24:00 PM
Can't stop checking the blog! Hope tomorrow goes well.
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Adoption Timeline

6 Jun 2012 - Arrived home in the United States

5 Jun 2012 - Flew home

4 Jun 2012 - Received DGM Exit Letters

1 Jun 2012 - Received US Visas

18 May 2012 - Medical reports received by US Consulate

14 May 2012 - US Consulate Interview

10 May 2012 - Congolese Passports received

09 May 2012 - Official photos taken for Congolese Passports

08 May 2012 - Medical exams in Kinshasa

07 May 2012 - First US Consulate appointment

04 May 2012 (or earlier?) - Applied for Congolese Passports in Kinshasa; Dropped off paperwork at US Consulate

03 May 2012 - Katie Mumbi and Nat arrive in Kinshasa and meet Mama for the first time

01 May 2012 - Arrive in Kinshasa, DRC

30 Apr 2012 - Depart Washington Dulles

20 Apr 2012 - Bought plane tickets and made reservations at Procure St. Anne

13 Apr 2012 - Receive travel dates and LOTS of to-do items from Love Beyond Borders

21 Mar 2012 - Officially the parents of Nathaniel Kayakez and Katherine Mumbi according to the Democratic Republic of Congo (which means we received their Certificates of Non-Apppeal)

12 Mar 2012 - 30 day non appeal waiting period is over

10 Feb 2012 - Both Kayakez and Mumbi pass court and have their adoption decrees registered in their Commune

9 Feb 2012 - Receive I-600 A approval to adopt two children between the ages of 0-36 months

27 Jan 2012 - Apply for a change to our I-600 A

25 Jan 2012 - Receive Home Study update

23 Jan 2012 - Ask for Home Study update

18 Jan 2012 - Dossier additions arrive in Lubumbashi

13 Jan 2012 - Mail dossier additions to Lubumbashi so we can adopt M

11 Jan 2012 - Learn that Kayakez has passed court but we need to add Mumbi to his court case so they can share a dossier and we can travel just once

3 Jan 2012 - Receive a phone call from LBB - little Kayakez has a two year old sister who is available for adoption

8 Dec 2011 - Dossier arrived in Lubumbashi

2 Nov 2011 - Completed dossier and mailed to LBB for translation

25 Oct 2011 - Completed application and contract with A Love Beyond Borders

22 Oct 2011 - Receive referral for a six week old baby boy from Love Beyond Borders - our baby Kayakez!!!

22 Oct 2011 - Lost referral from Wasatch due to problems with the orphanage director. Told that we might have to wait a many more months for a referral.

7 Sep 2011 - Received "soft" referral of a 15 month old little boy through Wasatch contingent on documentation availability and medical testing

28 Aug 2011 - Lost referral for the 2 month old baby boy and decided not to pursue independent adoption

22 Aug 2011 - Received a referral for a 2 month old baby boy through assisted independent adoption

14 Aug 2011 - Lost referral of the 4 month old baby boy

12 Aug 2011 - Received a referral for a 4 month old baby boy through assisted independent adoption

5 Aug 2011 - Received I-171 H approval to adopt two children between 0-24 months

1 Aug 2011 - Biometrics appointment with USCIS

11 Jul 2011 - Dossier for independent adoption complete

21 June 2011 - Applied for I-600 A

14 June 2011 - Applied for help with independent adoption

22 Apr 2011 - Home Study approved

31 Mar 2011 - Third Home Study visit

16 Mar 2011 - Second Home Study visit

11 Mar 2011 - First Home Study visit

22 Feb 2011 - Applied to Wasatch and placed on waiting list

16 Feb 2011 - Decide to adopt a baby boy from the Democratic Republic of Congo