Monday, April 05, 2010

Starting the Downhill Stretch

It's official. After much stress, a heated battle, a formidable compromise and a few tears.... I'm finally DONE with paperwork. For now anyway. My last and final homestudy is complete, approved by the new adoption agency and has been received by USCIS. It's good for 2 years in the state of Ohio. So I should certainly have my daughter home before it expires in March 2012. If not, you'll be visiting me in the looney bin so my homestudy won't matter anyway. LOL!

My wonderful social worker (who also battled a bit with new adoption agency over their demands when they red inked what she thought was her finished homestudy) said the sweetest thing when we signed off on the paperwork. She said... "the next time I come over it'll be for the 6 month post placement visit". There was something a little surreal in that statement. Am I really that close to a referral?

Well ... yes and no. I'm closer than I've ever been. In fact, if China continues at this pace my prediction is December. Of THIS year. As in 8 months from now! I'm still not sure I believe that. And, of course, there's always the disclaimer that anything can happen in the rollercoaster of China adoption. Speed up, slow down. Who really knows? We shall see...

But the last homestudy is done. What a relief! I love just saying those words.... The Last Homestudy. I'll have to be fingerprinted again for USCIS before I travel to China because that will for sure expire. And I'm on the bubble for my I-171H (immigration stuff for my non-adoption friends). It expires in March 2011. But even if I have to renew again it should be pretty easy. The hardest part is done.

Done... and I'm happy.

15 comments:

Kim said...

YEA.. I sooo hope that I say this soon..
Not sure what they are doing with me yet..LOL.
Glad things are looking up..
Hugs..
You are almost there girly..
Have a great week.

Lindsay said...

Glad it's done with. May the next few months fly by for you until it is time for you to finally see the face of your precious daughter.

Donna said...

I know that feels good! Phew!

Donna
Our Blog: Double Happiness!

Miche said...

YAYAYAY!!!

wzgirl said...

Cool. I Love the whole idea of being on the down-slope of things. Holla.

Suzie said...

Awesome!! Must feel real good knowing that this is the last before Mia comes home :o)

Call me sometime this week and fill me in.

Rhonda said...

SO glad that after everything you've been through recently with this, that it's finally signed, sealed and delivered!

Liene said...

SWEET!!! So awesome no more paperwork for now. And yes, I hope your predictions of a December referral are right! This is such good news that referrals may actually be speeding up a bit.

Hope everything else is well with you. I'm so out of the loop! Can't even keep up with my own blog!

Kayce said...

LOVE that you're looking at the downhill side of the mountain now...now lets pick up some speed!! :)

dawn said...

I'll raise my glass to that!
Yeehaw.
On my blog roll you are next now.

Michal said...

Girl I just got chills when I read that "8 months" . December it is.
I know it still feels a long way off but my goodness, it is getting closer and closer!!!!!!

dreamer said...

I know lots of people count down LIDs ahead of them with marbles or trinkets of some kind of candy. But me? I like to move the blogs ahead of mine from "still on the hamster wheel" and into the section on parents home.

I agree with the relief on the homestudy, and I'm so glad your immigration work is relatively light!

Marla said...

Congrats! I sure hope to see those referrals keep rolling in, it'll be your turn before you know it!

Deb said...

I'm going to believe December with you. Glad to hear your out of the thick-of-it with the paper work.

Now gain speed on the down slope CC@@!!!

Shannon said...

DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR!!! WOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! =) =) =) =)