6 month old pics!

Which is more exciting??

I don't know which is more exciting at this point:  the fact that I purchased tickets and WILL GET TO MEET ISNAIKA in May!!!  OR the fact that I just got a new set of pictures!!  I'm thinking she was about 3 months old in this set of pictures.

So my trip with my agency isn't until October, but I asked if I could make an extra trip and decided to go in May.  I'm really excited to go and meet her for the first time and see the orphanage.  I'm also looking forward to taking my friend Bertony to the orphanage and having him meet the people there.  I'd like him to go and visit frequently to get pictures and check on things.    The orphanage will be sending me monthly pictures from now on and I found a great group of people on Facebook who are adopting from the same orphanage.  Someone goes down every month to see a child so the deal is that when you go, you take pictures and send it back to the parents in the States... and when they go, the'll do the same for you.  Great deal!

Here they are!  ps - I have no idea who the woman holding her is...just glad she's being held.

Introducing: Isnaika Marcelin

I got my referral for this precious little girl, Isnaika Marcelin!  She was born in September of 2011 in her mother's house.  Her mother was 22 when she was born.  Her father died of Cholera.  Her mother couldn't afford to keep her so she took her to Maison des enfants de dieu.  She is healthy.  The orphanage said she is a healthy, happy baby.  She "talks" when spoken to, has normal gross and fine motor skills, and a sweet personality. 

I171h is ready!

Just got my i171h form... Which is a "notice of favorable determination concerning application for advance processing of orphan petition". Progress is good!

Been waiting quite some time for the referral....was promised it a few months ago..waited four weeks...was told they needed four more weeks... And I'm still waiting with no answers. I might be going on a trip to see her in April, if her paperwork gets done in time. if.... We'll see what happens!

One step closer to knowing about her!

So I talked to my agency today. There is an infant girl at each of their orphanages. I told him that I'd prefer the younger. So I found out that she is 3 months old! She's at maison d enfantes orphanage. I don't know her name ( he wouldn't tell me). I know she's "healthy", I added quotes because how much can you know when she's 3 months... Also how much do you trust from a Haitian dr who works for the orphanage? Just like any baby born to any mother, you don't really know what God will give you.

He promised me that in about a month she'll have her paperwork done. Then I'll receive the official referral. At that time, she would officially be in the adoption process with me. I'd be able to know more about her and the life she comes from. A few months after that I'll go to Haiti and appear before a judge. I'll also get some time to meet my Haitian sensation! Her parents are both alive and I might be meeting them too during that visit. He said the whole process would take around 15 months (after my referral). I've been researching on the internet and found several who have done it in 9 months...so I'm trying to understand the differences.

So good news! Every little step counts!

Next steps....

I was just informed today that my dossier is translated!!!!!!

Now I'm waiting to be matched with a child. So ready to finally know about her!!

Updates

Last Monday I was told by my agency that the dossier is complete!! It was sent on to be translated into French. I was told that it would take 2-3 weeks. After that, I would need to have a child identified before the paperwork proceeds to Chicago.

So I emailed my agency....asking for an update. Where am I in line? When will I get my referral that was promised once my paperwork was done?

The rep from my agency is in Haiti now. He said, that he will give me more details when he can, but he has found an infant girl for me! Her paperwork is not ready, so he said I'd have to wait 1-3 months for that... He gave me no details about her, how old she is, or what her name is...just that he reserved her file for me!!! He'll be back on dec. 19 when he'll give me more details. I'm eager to find out more about her! In the meantime, I'll submit my i600a form to the US government and fill out more forms for my agency.

More to come!