Adoption and Dante Updates

I have not done a post on our adoption in a while, so it is time for a reminder that we and our daughter-to-be are a family in need of your support!

Our home study was completed last week, but needed some revisions.  Jamie and I had not done the required training for a Hague country.  We had to go online and take 5 adoption courses to meet that requirement.  Even though most of it was review for us, it is a very impressive set of courses that would benefit any family adopting a child.

And here she is!!: 

Once we have our revised home study we will send it to Immigration in our government for approval.  We will be given fingerprint appointments also.  With that approval we will be able to officially have Elsa put on hold and travel to her country for the Preview Trip.  

So much of this process is "hurry up and wait" on our part.  I will be so thankful when we get this hurdle done. The wait for approval should be about two months.  Hopefully less.

In the last 2 weeks we have had to pay $200 for the home study review, plus $149 for the adoption courses.  When we file the immigration paperwork (next week?!) we will have to send along a cashiers check for $890 to pay for the filing of the forms.

Please continue to pray for Elsa, and for our finances.

Don't forget, Christmas is coming and one way you can support us is through the purchase of adoption awareness t-shirts!  There is a link on the sidebar.

And Dante.  Here is a photo of him being told his surgery is in 2 weeks.  Actually, that is an older photo, but he is scheduled for open heart surgery on Thursday August 25th.  We have been told that the hole in his heart is in such a way that the catheter approach will not work.  I have every confidence in the surgeon and team who will be working on him, it is his time in the hospital that has me worried.  Dante is not going to appreciate the IV and various wires that will likely be attached to him for the duration of his hospital recovery.  Jamie and I are going to alternate staying in the hospital with him, although if Dante's recovery goes longer than 5 days it will run into school starting.

Please pray for a calm, quick recovery for our boy!