Abandonment...

We recenlty learned from our agency that it may take up to a year to get an abandonment decree from the Haitian government for Christéla. This decree is needed before Christéla's adoption process can begin. Please PRAY with us that this isn't the case! Please pray that this decree is issued soon so that her process can begin. Our dossier is ready for her... so, as soon as that is in place, things can start. It is such a long process as it is... and with her health issues, we don't want to see her have to wait that long to come home! We had originally understood that she had to be in the custody of the orphanage for seven months and then that could be issued... that would have been in mid-December. Apparently, that may not be the case.

In other news, our dossier for Aliyah was sent by CCI to Haiti on October 15. We heard today that it arrived on October 21. We are waiting to hear that we have entered "First Legal." Here's an excerpt from another Haiti adoption blog about this step:

First Legal: Any document that had to be authenticated by the Haitian
Consulate has to be taken to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for further
legalization. They legalize the signature of the Haitian Consular Officer that
legalized your dossier at the foreign Haitian Embassy in your country.
If the child to be adopted is already identified and/or as soon as the child is
identified, the child’s portion of the adoption dossier has to be compiled. This
dossier portion includes the social history on the child which is prepared by a
Haitian Social Worker, a Psychologist report, a Medical report and a Lab Report
is made. Additionally, the child’s birth certificate, parent’s death certificate
or relinquishment papers are added to the dossier at that time. Additionally,
any birth or death certificates have to have Archive Papers attached to the
document. This certifies that the signature on the birth certificate and/or
death certificate corresponds with the signature of the official who signed
it. When all the papers are back from Legalization and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, and the child’s paperwork is finished, the dossier is prepared
for the National Office of Social Welfare (IBESR) and sent to the lawyer. The
dossier consists of one original document dossier and three copy dossiers.

Once we get through First Legal... we'll then wait to get into IBESR.

New Picture of Aliyah!

We just got this new picture of Aliyah! Such a beautiful smile and happy girl! Her hair is really growing in as well... maybe we'll see braids in a few more months. We heard that CCI received our dossier for Aliyah on Tuesday... and we hoping to send it to Haiti today. So, we are praying for a smooth (and fast) process now that it is in Haiti so we can bring our little girl home.

Paper Baby #1 in the mail

It's been a while since I've had a chance to update our blog... I've been so busy finishing up our dossier, filling out more grant applications, and getting ready for another fundraiser, that I haven't had time to blog. But, here's an update:

On Friday (Oct 10), I mailed Paper Baby #1 to CCI (our adoption agency). It weighed in at 9 pounds, 3 ounces worth of paper about Keith and I and our family... this dossier will be used in Haiti for Aliyah's adoption.

We are compliling a seperate dossier for Christéla... but I had one document for hers come back from the Haitian Consulate without the seal it needed... so, I had to send it back to them. When I get it from them, I'll make 4 copies of all of it and send three copies plus the original to CCI and keep one copy for us. This will be Paper Baby #2.... and once it is mailed, everything will be out of our hands for a while.

We have an updated photo of Christéla for October... her hair is starting to come back in and she still has that beautiful smile! We haven't gotten one of Aliyah yet... but I'll post it as soon as we get it.