Saving Sofia: And We're Off...I Hope!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

And We're Off...I Hope!

We have a booked flight to Kiev through Austria leaving this morning. Our bags are packed and we are out the door. We PRAY the airports stay open and that our flight is safe. We PRAY for our kids left at home with our family and friends. We hope to be in touch when we are in Kiev!!!

PRAYING!!!

21 comments:

JuliaApril 20, 2010 at 5:01 AM
PRAYING,,,,PRAYING... PRAYING FOR YOU!!!
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LaurieApril 20, 2010 at 5:29 AM
Oh Jen!!!!!!! Goosebumps! I will be thinking of you all!
Big hugs!
xoxo
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TinaApril 20, 2010 at 5:31 AM
Hooray! What wondeful news to hear this beautiful Tuesday morning! Praying!!!

Stay safe!

JTHTL
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AimeeApril 20, 2010 at 5:41 AM
Good Luck, I will be praying for you !
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ErinLApril 20, 2010 at 5:43 AM
YAY!!!!!!
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Kristin FergusonApril 20, 2010 at 5:48 AM
Great news!!! Can't wait to hear about your travels. Praying for you to be in Kiev in time for your appt.

Kristin
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ChrisApril 20, 2010 at 5:52 AM
Have a safe trip! Bring that little girl home!
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AnonymousApril 20, 2010 at 6:17 AM
Ooooh! Hooray!!!!!! Safe travels!!!!
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CheriApril 20, 2010 at 6:23 AM
Continued prayers... for all the details!
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SarahApril 20, 2010 at 6:29 AM
YAY!! So excited for you!!!
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AdeyeApril 20, 2010 at 6:56 AM
GO GO GO!!!!!! Amazing news :)

Can't wait to follow along.
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JodiApril 20, 2010 at 6:56 AM
Thank goodness! I'll be thinking about you :)
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DeniseApril 20, 2010 at 8:07 AM
I can't wait to hear that you have arrived there. I hope you will be able to update us as you know we will all be dying of curiosity!!! Prayers will continue to be sent your way for a safe trip and great appointment and that you get to see your sweet Sofia VERY soon!!!
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MegApril 20, 2010 at 9:09 AM
Wonderful Jen! We'll be praying for you guys! ~ Mary Ellen & Steve
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heatherbrownApril 20, 2010 at 9:19 AM
Praying you get there quickly and safely....cannot wait to see pictures of your girl!
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shereeApril 20, 2010 at 1:19 PM
I'm definitely praying for you guys.
Love you.
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Jenny RApril 20, 2010 at 2:17 PM
We are and will be praying for you and your family!
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teacherApril 20, 2010 at 3:55 PM
Congrats that you are on your way! Soon the waiting will be over and the hugs begin! :)
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orphans4meApril 20, 2010 at 4:47 PM
Are you really on your way!! Oh, I thought it would have to be re-scheduled to another week!! My best wishes and prayers are with you.
Joy,RR
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AnonymousApril 20, 2010 at 6:37 PM
WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO.....mountain...or um i mean volcano be moved! =)
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MelApril 20, 2010 at 9:51 PM
SOOO glad to hear you are finally on your way, and hopoing you get to hold your little girl soon :)
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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.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

And We're Off...I Hope!

21 comments:

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