Yeah, We're kinda a BIG deal.

Last week, we FINALLY accomplished what we've been working towards for months.  A completed and mailed-out dossier (adoption paperwork) given to our agency for review.  This paperwork had given us ulcers, wrinkles, and stress headaches for 9 months (David claims those things are Laura-induced); it is the official set of documents sent to the Ethiopian government showing that our family meets their adoption requirements.  Needless to say, a huge burden lifted from our shoulders the moment those papers became someone else's responsibility (read: problem).

Please note that according to our adorable adoption agency completing a dossier should take between 4-6 months.  Insert deep sigh and eye roll here.  We had a few hang ups (like a 5 month delay in fingerprint processing) preventing us from finishing ours in that time frame.  Excuses, excuses.  But it's done now, so whatever.  It reminds me of that classic movie Tommy Boy and this conversation between sardonic Richard and slacker Tommy:

Tommy: Did you hear I graduated?

Richard: Yeah and just a shade under a decade. All right.

Tommy: A lot of people go to college for seven years.

Richard: Yeah, they're called doctors. 

 So while we don't "officially" have our doctorate in adoptive studies,  I think we've definitely earned some sort of honorary degree just for 9 months of immersion in the material.

Although we were thrilled to be done with the dossier, releasing the final product of our blood, sweat, and tears into the hands of the United States Postal Office was slightly daunting.  The day we finally mailed the dossier, I think we made it real awkward for the Postal worker.  She put the sticker on the package, got ready to toss it in the parcel bin with the other packages and we nearly ripped her arm off.

Us: No, no, no.  We need you to take a picture of us with this package.

Postal Employee (big eyed): Um, okay?!?

Us: It's just that we've spent MONTHS on this paperwork; it's for our adoption!

Postal Employee (now thinking we are crazy/checking us for weapons): Sure it is.

She took a good picture regardless!

Post-mailing relief-can you see it on my face?

The next day, our agency sent word that they had received our paperwork.  Stuff is REALLY moving.  They hope to have it translated and sent via courier service to Ethiopia before the end of the month.  Then the real wait begins.  The 2 1/2 year countdown to our African Princess. 

In the spirit of good fun, love, and general awesomeness, a holiday was born: Dossier Day.  Obviously, we needed to party hard.  I mean it isn't every day you mail out your dossier AND have a holiday created in your honor (even if you just made it up yourself).  Like I may have mentioned before, we're kinda a big deal.  

 

 

We want to thank everyone for your support and encouragement getting us to this point.  Honestly some days, I really questioned whether we would make it this far.  You are helping to make this happen, to make our family whole!  Every time we get a check, it brings tears to my eyes.  My sweet Grandma said the other day, "I know it isn't much, but I just hope my little bit helps."  My response to her was, "To us there is no such thing as 'too little' help."  Each tiny step forward is still a step. 

Since we began this process, you've helped us raise $8865 towards our $15,000 goal (and that's not including the faithful doubling by our generous partner foundation!).  That is nearly $1000 a month for the 9 months we've been on this adoption journey.  Wow and wow.  It's also worth noting that this amount has been reached without any huge fundraisers, besides our "Piece by Piece" project we've been slowly whittling away at (progress shown below).  Here's the plan: We have about $6000 left to raise and 2-ish years to do it in (P.S. You can always give by clicking here).  We're thinking 2013 AMAZING FALL FUNDRAISER of some kind.  Not to ruin the surprise, but there may be bluegrass music involved.  Don't worry-we'll keep you posted on details.

This was pre-Father's day, 441 pins sold and pieces in.....

....and now post-July 4 progress, 459 pieces in.  Just 41 left to go!

Last but not least, if you read this far you deserve a prize of some kind.  How about the music video of our "Dossier Dance"?!?  Okay-well this is the video portion of our dossier, proof to the Ethiopian government that their babies will be adopted into households that have a little soul (Complete falsehood!  If that was true, we would be disqualified immediately!!).  Seriously though, this is a victory dance Elijah and I conjured up after sending our dossier.  Like King David (...of the Bible!  I do NOT refer to my husband by that name), we enjoy dancing up a storm.  Also my best friends will notice how I withheld all my best moves, since I didn't want my child to feel inadequate because of my mad dancing skills (Hahahaha-I can hear you LOLing from here).  I think we nailed it-enjoy!