Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Dossier Complete!

Well, the Home Study is all written up and will be signed off on this Thursday. Although I thought I was done with the Dossier, I had to send the final 3 final documents to be "certified" in their originating State. I hadn't known that needed to be done. So when I get those back this Friday, I will be 100% done with the Dossier.

It only then needs to go through authentication in Washington and the Ethiopian Embassy. Then.......off to Ethiopia for about a 2 month wait for them to translate and do their stuff, then another month to wait to hear about a court date. It all goes "something" like that, but it's really fantastic to get all of that done.

My experience with the Secretary of State was lovely, however the mistakes they found that had to be fixed was hard to hear. My local bank notary had put a wrong date on her expiration of commission, so I had to walk around town while I was there and get another branch of my bank to re-do what she had done wrong. There were 12 documents that I had to redo. Then, when the 2nd notary there re-did them, I took them back to the Secretary of State and she said, "you are missing one doc that the notary must have left in his copier, he didn't stamp one doc, and he really shouldn't have used a particular stamp because he in fact did not "witness" my signature." What should have been a drop off and leave within 5 minutes turned into 3 1/2 hours of running around and constantly putting coins in my car meter. Last thing I wanted was to get a fat ticket on top of all of that. And it's below freezing and icy.....but I'm done! I picked the certified docs up the next morning and it all looks good.

No sign of referrals yet. Still waiting, but that is what all of this part is about.....lots of waiting.
Now I exhale.................and breeeeeeeathe!

P.S. I break down now and again and buy some thingies for the girls. Today was a set of 8 pez dispensers of Disney Characters. I think they were just so cute because they were feminine and pink. Also bought a few really great things for their bathroom. I'll post a picture of the bathroom when it is all done.

3 comments:

Amber said...

Congratulations on getting the Dossier complete. What a huge deal!! I can't wait to see pictures of the girls room.

Amber

Holly said...

Congrats on completing your dossier! My hubby and I are only a couple weeks behind you, and I'm so glad to have found your blog.

I saw your video on youtube (the one where you're telling your sons about the adoption), and cracked up. Even cried a little. So sweet!

susie said...

Completing a dossier is perhaps one of the greatest feelings in the world! YAY for you!! Sorry you had to do all the running around though.. . but it is done!! "Just itching to see your daughters!!

Susie