Saving Sofia: Monday Arrival

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Monday Arrival

Our dossier actually made it to Eastern Europe on Monday, March 15th! How is that for fast transit? GO DHL!!!

So...there is a slight possibility that it could be translated THIS week and submitted THIS week! Maybe the luck of the Irish will be with us and we might hear good news tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

We are really busy this week getting the Saving Sofia Crab Feed & Silent Auction ready for Friday night. I have the most wonderful friends and family EVER! We are close to selling out...we have about 150 people attending and some AMAZING auction items!

Here is a brief list of some of the highlights:

Golf for 2 at Poppy Hills at Pebble Beach

Monterey Weekend Getaway

$1300 Limited Edition "Magick" Gold, Diamond & Enamel Heart Pendant & Chain

BBQ Grill

A Full Day Room Makeover by an Interior Designer

4 Amazing Photography Sessions

Red "Harvey" Seatbelt Handbag

Mommy Makeover Basket with Teeth Whitening Service

and MANY, MANY more wonderful gift baskets, original art, jewelry, hand made items, and gift certificates!

We are overwhelmed with gratitude and can't wait for the big night! Lots to get organized between now and then. Hoping to be able to share some good news on Friday night about the progress for Sofia's adoption!

7 comments:

LaurieMarch 17, 2010 at 7:29 AM
SOOO excited for you, Jen!! Excellent news about the dossier!!
The auction sounds fabulous as well! : )
ReplyDelete
Replies
Anne and Whitney: Up, Down and All AroundMarch 17, 2010 at 11:26 AM
wish we lived closer - we would LOVE to come to the fun party/silent auction! looks like you have some GREAT items :) have so much fun!!!
ReplyDelete
Replies
DeniseMarch 17, 2010 at 11:44 AM
Woo Hoo on the dossier and I so wished I lived close enough to attend the crabfest!!! I can't wait for you guys to get over there to EE and get some Sofia loving!!!
ReplyDelete
Replies
Jenny RMarch 17, 2010 at 4:25 PM
I am amazed at how fast things are moving along for you! You are inspiring!
ReplyDelete
Replies
Monica CrumleyMarch 17, 2010 at 4:56 PM
Can't wait. It's really going to be exciting!
ReplyDelete
Replies
CheriMarch 17, 2010 at 5:29 PM
Jennifer....this is sooooo cool!! I wish we lived closer, we'd be there to scoop up the Monterey Get away or the golfing at Pebble Beach...soo fun!! Can't wait to hear all about it!

Even more exciting news on the Sofia front...things are moving right along...so happy!!!
ReplyDelete
Replies
Bethany BalsisMarch 18, 2010 at 8:33 AM
Things are going so fast! I feel like you were just emailing me your big list of questions! Looks like you have a great support system ... can't wait to hear how the event goes!
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Your comments mean the WORLD to us! Please feel free to share your thoughts!

Adoption Timeline

12-13-09- Grandma Esther passed away. Discovered Sofia at www.reecesrainbow.com and decided to donate to her grant fund in honor of Grandma and the Christmas Angel Tree Project. Couldn't get her off my mind.

1-1-10- Received Sofia's Christmas Angel Tree ornament and put it on our Christmas Tree. Still constantly thinking about her.

1-24-10- Hector and I decided to commit to adopting Sofia. Contacted Andrea at Reece's Rainbow.

1-25-10- Contacted Across the World Adoptions to begin the Home Study.

1-26-10- Sent our application to Reece's Rainbow and sent a check for the FSP Donation, Love Offering and Promise Trust.

1-27-10- Jen's physical completed. Vaccines administered. FBI and DOJ/Child Abuse fingerprinting completed.

1-28-10- Faxed Home Study Application and Agreement. Mailed hard copy.

1-29-10- Hector's fingerprints completed for FBI and DOJ/Child Abuse. Completed the required 10 hours of International Adoption education credits.

1-31-10- Mailed USCIS our I-600A application and fees.

2-1-10- Employment verifications completed for Home Study. School evaluations completed on Diego and Mateo. Received dossier paperwork from Reece's Rainbow.

2-4-10- Assigned a social worker for our Home Study at Across the World Adoptions. Had over 15 documents notarized.

2-5-10- Hector's physical completed. Vaccines administered. Child Specific Petition and Power of Attorney's notarized and ready for apostille.

2-8-10- CSP and POA's apostilled and shipped to Sofia's home country! First home study visit is scheduled for 2/15.

2-10-10- ALL paperwork completed for Home Study! YEAH! Working on gathering the rest of the dossier paperwork.

2-15-10- 1st Home Study Visit completed.

2-16-10- 2nd Home Study Visit completed.

2-22-10- Received our I-797C Notice of Action for our Orphan Petition.

2-25-10- State Police clearance fingerprinting done. Apostilled 20 documents at Secretary of State office.

3-1-10- Final revisions completed on Home Study.

3-2-10- Jennifer fingerprinted a third time for USCIS. Hector's police clearance letter received.

3-3-10- Hector fingerprinted a third time for USCIS.

3-4-10- Home Study, Agency License and Social Worker Licence notarized and mailed to us today.

3-11-10- USCIS Approval!

3-12-10- Dossier shipped out to Sofia's home country!

3-15-10- Dossier arrived in Sofia's home country!

3-25-10- Dossier officially submitted. Approximately 10 day wait to get travel date!

4-6-10- Received our SDA appointment for 4/22 at 9am! Booked our plane tickets for 4/19 arriving on 4/20.

4-14-10- Volcano erupts in Iceland causing flights to be grounded throughout Europe!

4-19-10- Flight is cancelled. No alternative routes are available. Requested new SDA appointment.

4-20-10- Got a last minute flight to Kiev through Vienna, Austria.

4-21-10- Arrived in Kiev, Ukraine!

4-22-10- Completed SDA appointment at 9am. Received referral at 6pm. Hopped on a midnight train to Dnep.

4-23-10-Arrived in Dnep at 7am and ran around Dnep for 11 hours today with our facilitator Marina gathering papers and getting notaries. Met Sofia!

4-26-10-Took Sofia out of the orphanage to get her picture taken for Visa immigration, US Embassy and the SDA. 7 day wait begins for court date.

4-27-10-Prosecutor says our documents are complete and ready for the judge and court proceedings.

4-29-10-Still waiting for interpol clearance so court date is set for 5/13.

4-30-10-Interpol clearance arrives. Court date moved to 5/6!

5-6-10- Court completed and Sofia Andrea Sanchez is officially adopted! 10 day wait begins.

5-16-10- Return trip is set for 6/6 and we'll arrive in Dnep on 6/8 to begin the process of bringing Sofia home, hopefully on or before 6/17.

6-8-10- Arrived in Sofia's region and completed all necessary paperwork for her new birth certificate and for her Ukraine passport.

6-10-10-GOTCHA day! Took Sofia out of the orphanage and home to our apartment.

6-11-10- Got Sofia's Ukrainian Passport and took overnight train back to Kiev. Changed return flight home to 6/15.

6-14-10- Got Sofia's Visa at the U.S. Embassy.

6-15-10- Going HOME!

6-16-10-Applied for Sofia's Social Security Card.

7-15-10- Received Sofia's official certificate of U.S. Citizenship in the mail.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Monday Arrival

7 comments:

An Orphan No More 2011 Reece's Rainbow Calendar

Make a Donation to a Child in Need!

About Us

SOFIA

Her Big Brothers

Followers

Our Other Blog

Adoption Timeline