....moving forward

The I600a was mailed to USCIS yesterday.... It would seem that this would mean sitting back and waiting..but definitely not the case. I received an email from WACAP this week that my information packet is on the way. I had already begun to accumulate much of the paperwork required for my dossier, but will have a much more defined list once the packet arrives. The home study is still in progress....hopefully it will be sent in the next week or so to WACAP for their review...

This weeks goals are beginning to take shape:
I have received 4 hours of adoption education through my home study agency here in North Carolina and will begin the additional 6 this week...
I have to complete the Parent Resource Survey for WACAP...it's a doozy, but enlightening as it really makes me locate and consider resources available to me in the community...

It's difficult to maintain a clear thought process these days...my brain seems to be jumping from document gathering to emotional excitement to finances to anything and everything, but in no logical order....I guess for anyone going through this process, that is just standard operating procedure! :)

Thanks to the suggestion of someone on an email list, I cruised over to youtube and typed in "Ethiopian Adoption." Wow! A few minutes of viewing brings it all back home again! A mix of sadness, happiness, impatience, and excitement come over me like a flood. If your looking for a way to bring it to life and share in the experience up close and personal, check it out for yourself! This one in particular:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBhaGS3S99I

Well....back to the paperwork....it will be worth it in the end.....

And so it begins.....today I filled out the application for WACAP to begin the adoption process. Tomorrow I will send off the application to begin the home study process.

Am I crazy? A single mom with 4 kids...three at home...one off to college...working fulltime...going to grad school....and beginning this roller coaster journey. As I begin to share my plan with friends, they express a mix of emotions...."You're crazy!" "How exciting" "What are you thinking?"

For anyone who has known me for any amount of time, this comes as no surprise. Adopting a child from Ethiopia has been on my heart for over 10 years. There comes a time when you hold your breath...squint your eyes real tight...and jump in!!!!!

So....that's where it is....and so it begins....