WOOHOO!! WE HAVE A SIGNATURE AND ARE APPLYING FOR VISAS!!!!!!!

Finally, some relief! Avery's birth mother has signed the missing document and it is in the process of catching up with our dossiers. We are now applying for our 3 month VISA (between June 15 - September 15).

A visa is a document issued by a country giving an individual permission to formally request entrance to the country during a given period of time and for certain purposes and usually stamped or glued inside of a passport, or sometimes issued as separate pieces of paper. Many countries require possession of a valid passport and visa as a condition of entry for foreigners, though there exist exemptions .

Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter (or exit) a country, and are thus, for some countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country.

Please continue to pray for Avery's birth mother and that we are headed to VN on the shorter end of the wait!

trying to remain positive...

for traveling in June. Although, I do admit, I am terrified about the document that we are waiting for Avery's birth mother to sign (see May 25th post). I feel so sorry for her. The emotional difficulty of having to let your child go and then being asked to come back in to sign yet another form, 5 months later!!!!! What if she rethinks her decision? I know, I am being pessimistic but I am scared to death!

Owen has been sick with strep since Friday. So, he hasn't been eating and was running a fever. Finally, yesterday he made significant improvements (still not eating, but improvement) and wanted to go to grandmas. He ended up spending the night with her. So, to keep ourselves occupied, Scott and I went to Walmart (yes, walmart - I HATE walmart) at 10:00 last night to pick up the remaining items that we will be needing for travel (HOPEFULLY IN JUNE WITH JESSICA/KEN). When we get a little further into the process, I will post our list of items to bring.

In the meantime, please pray that Avery's birth mother is able to get into the local justice department SOON and that she is able to sign the document with the comfort of knowing (if she is told) that Avery's forever family is waiting for her.

I'm Melting!!!!

Our dossiers are STILL in Hanoi (over a month later). Jynger, from our agency emailed us this afternoon to tell us that ANOTHER NEW document is now needed. Apparently, it is a form that the birth mother must sign. Without that signature Avery's dossier cannot leave Hanoi. The Vietnamese case worker hoped that they would be able to get with Avery's birth mother (if she was available to make it in), have her sign the form and send it off to Hanoi. Evidently, that is the LAST document that is needed for review (thus far).

So, if the birth mother cannot make it in - GO TO HER! Her coming in depends on how soon this precious, innocent child has to wait for her forever family!

I have cried enough tears this afternoon that if I was a snowman, I would have washed away hours ago. With all of that being said, I AM IN MELTDOWN MODE!

The Robeez have arrived!

Want to guess...

...when Avery's G & R (giving and receiving) ceremony will be???

Once we get the call (or email) that Avery has travel clearance we will have approximately 2 weeks until we need to be in VN.

A few things to keep in mind before you guess-

* Once Hanoi receives Avery's dossier they will review her dossier along with our family’s dossier. {Avery's dossier was sent to Hanoi on April 25, 2007}

* Once the review process is completed they will then send both dossiers back to the local justice in Avery's province.

* Once, the local justice receives both dossiers another review process will take place.

* When the local justice department completes the review process they will then send both dossiers to the peoples committee for a final review. Once, that review process is complete they will then set a GNR date.

Just make a comment with your guess. We will have to come up with a prize for the winner!

Robeez!!!

The folks at Robeez have done it again! Not only have they donated 50 pair of Robeez to the orphanage that Beckett currently resides in but they have donated an additional 10-15 pair to Avery's orphanage as well. Apparently, through the Heart and Sole program there is a certain number of shoes that can be donated each month. The gal that Scott spoke with told him that they have received an increase in requests and the monthly quota was almost gone. We were thankful to get even 5 pair of shoes let alone 10-15! Avery's orphanage is considerably smaller than the others that Dillon works with so 10-15 is fantastic!! Now all that we need is TRAVEL CLEARANCE!!

Dossiers still in Hanoi

Well, we got an email from our agency today telling us that our dossiers (our families and Avery's) are still being reviewed in Hanoi and haven't left to head back to Can Tho City. So, apparently, the fortune cookie from yesterday was false. That really wasn't the news that I was hoping for - dang it!