Saving Sofia: The Volcano

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Volcano

Between the recent adoption fiasco in Russia (which is NOT where we are adopting from) and now the volcano in Iceland shutting down air travel in most of Europe, we are needing more prayers than ever that we can fly out Monday morning and begin our adoption process without delay.

Flights are cancelled all over Europe today so if we were flying today, we wouldn't get anywhere. Please GOD clear the ashes away so that flights can resume! We CANNOT miss our appointment on Thursday.

11 comments:

MarianneApril 16, 2010 at 8:11 AM
What city do you have a connection in? I'm praying!
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AnonymousApril 16, 2010 at 9:08 AM
Praying for your family and Sofia... God will make it happen. Keep your faith up. You blasted through this process way too fast (amazing, by the way) to be held up now. You are a mom on a mission - that is unstoppable!! Ever praying that He will make it happen... God Bless You all.
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Kristin FergusonApril 16, 2010 at 9:43 AM
Praying for you Jen! I read today that the meteorologists thought that by Sunday things would be better for travel. Let's hope so!

Kristin
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Anne and Whitney: Up, Down and All AroundApril 16, 2010 at 12:44 PM
sending prayers your way (and sofia's too) that you get to her home country and to meet her safely and with no trouble!!!! :) buena suerte!!!
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shereeApril 16, 2010 at 1:15 PM
praying for the ashes to clear!

((hugs))
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TinaApril 16, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Praying that you'll be leaving on a jet plane on Monday! Most important, of course, is that you're in-country for your SDA appointment (AND meeting your daughter!)... but it'd be great to hear that you'd been able to meet up with Shawn, Sarah, and Zoya, too! :)

JTHTL
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MelApril 16, 2010 at 6:17 PM
Oh no- good luck, and hoping things sort themselves out by then :)
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CathyApril 16, 2010 at 7:09 PM
I will pray specifically for this!!!
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AnonymousApril 16, 2010 at 9:10 PM
Saying lot of prayers for you and Hector! I am glad the Russian adoption fiasco is not affecting adoptions to US families in other Eastern European countries. Praying that the ashes clear and you can see Sofia soon!

All my best, Caitlin
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Monica CrumleyApril 16, 2010 at 9:28 PM
I just heard about this today! I'll say some extra prayers all weekend for safe travels!
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LisaApril 16, 2010 at 10:17 PM
And I'll teach Sheridan to blow with all his might and we'll scoot those clouds out of the sky for you :)
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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.

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Volcano

11 comments:

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