May 24

"Paper Ready"!!!!
As of today, May 24, 2006, we are officially "paper ready"! This means that our entire dossier and our USCIS approval (I 171H) has been received by our agency and we are now just waiting for our referral! When the time comes, we will receive a phone call from our agency along with several emails with pictures of our Isabella. We will receive medical reports, copies of the birth mother's ID card, and some other miscellaneous information. After we review all of this, we will notify our agency if we are willing to accept the referral or not. Upon acceptance, we will quickly make our travel plans...

As of tonight, I don't have a very good idea on how long it will be until we receive our referral. I have requested some additional information from For This Child on expected wait times, but things vary so much that it is almost impossible to predict. It hasn't really hit me yet. I'm sure it won't seem real until we get the call.... and then it will be a mad dash to get everything done! Right now, all I want to do is recover from the last three months of stress and relax (and go shopping!).

Isabella,

I'm praying tonight that Daddy and I will get to see your pictures soon! I can't believe we have come this far! It's amazing to me that it won't be long until I finally get to hold you! I've been waiting for this for soooo long!

We love you very much, Bella! May God bless you and keep you safe, warm, healthy, and surrounded with love!

~Mommy