A Change of Plans- I'm So Excited!

Pat and I made a decision today about our adoption. Instead of having JJ escorted home, Pat is going to travel to Liberia to get him! I'm so excited about this decision.

In the beginning of the process, we felt like escorting was the best option for our family, but now we've changed our minds. I really feel like this will be easier for JJ's transition to our family. It comforts me to know that Pat will be with him through leaving all that is familiar to him.

Also, by going to get him ourselves, we will be able to speed up the process. Rachel was guessing that if we are finalized soon, and Pat travels, we could have an embassy appointment as early as the end of Feb./beginning of March, instead of waiting until the end of April to bring him home. When you travel, you just do the I-600 paperwork there in Monrovia, unlike escorting where you wait for it to be processed through our local immigration, then New Hampshire office, and then on to Monrovia.

I'm trying not to get too excited. Nothing in this process is predictable or guaranteed. Many people have gotten to the end of the process to have the consular require a DNA test that adds about 6-8 weeks on to the process. Please pray that this will not be the case for us. Also please pray for my friends, the Basten family, who just got the news today that they are going to have to do the DNA testing. They are already on their way to Africa, so this was quite a blow. It is the news we all are dreading at the end.

Also, please pray that Pat will be able to be travel ready quickly. I regret it now, but neither one of us have passports. He will need to get one ASAP. They are taking about 4-6 weeks to get, or you can pay the $60 fee to expedite it to 2-3 weeks, which is what I think we will be doing.

Did I say I'M SO EXCITED yet? Oh, yeah, that's supposed to be cautiously excited. Yeah, right!