Mullenhour's Journey to Ethiopia : Merry Christmas!!

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas Everyone! This year due to adoption expenses we decided to not get each other gifts. We also bought less for our three little ladies. 2 of our girls understood (one was too little and 3 gifts for her was perfect). Our six and four year old girls were troopers! They thoroughly enjoyed the crafty items they received and the Connect 4 game! It is amazing how excited they are, and how much they are willing to sacrifice, for a little sister that they have never met!

We were so busy with family on Christmas Eve, that we did not check the mailbox. To our surprise as we stopped at the box on Christmas evening, before pulling into the drive, was our much anticipated I-171H form!! This is the form we have prayed about, and have been disappointed each day when we check the mail and it wasn't there. We are now pre-approved to bring an orphan into the United States!! This is our Christmas gift. We were both blessed with what we really wanted...one step closer to our girl!! What a perfect Christmas gift for our family! Happy Birthday Jesus!!

We are so close to being done with the paper chasing part of our adoption! Next step is getting two documents authenticated!

Thank you for all of your prayers and support! We still have a long way to go before we are able to travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to meet our baby girl!

2 comments:

UnknownJanuary 1, 2013 at 6:09 PM
Such a WONDERFUL Christmas blessing!!!
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Our Journey To Addis Ababa

11/03/15 Finally arrived home as a family of 6!!
11/02/15 Took a late night plane from Addis Ababa and headed back home with our sweet girl!! She did amazing on the long journey home!!
11/02/15 Completed her Visa interview & received her Visa!!
10/20/15 We received our court decree, her birth ccertificate, and her MOWA exit letter!
10/20/15 Passed court! We officially have 4 daughters!!
10/17/15 Arrived in Addis and met our sweet girl for the first time!!!
10/16/15 Hopped on an airplane for the long 23 hour flight to Ethiopia!!
08/04/15 Our updated Dossier PASSED MOWA!
03/12/15 Our Biometrics apt with USCIS (this is the 3rd time, ugh)
03/09/15 Updated our ENTIRE Dossier in hopes that MOWA will give us a positive letter
02/12/15 Updated 2 Dossier documents, authenticated them and are in ET
01/27/15 Passed PAIR!! Her ppwk is complete and approved!
11/27/14 We officially have a REFERRAL!! A beautiful little girl!
09/10/14 Standing still at #1 on the referral list for a girl
05/06/14 We remain at #1 on our agencies referral list
03/06/14 I-600 updated & approved
02/01/14 Still #1 on the referral list
12/13/13 Standing still at #1
10/22/13 #1 on the list
10/14/13 Standing still at # 3
08/28/13 # 3!! So close!
08/01/13 Standing still at # 8
05/31/13 # 8!! Getting a little closer
05/15/13 # 9!! Yeah for single digits!!
05/13/13 Our Dossier is in Ethiopia! It will get translated to Amaric soon.
04/19/13 # 10!!
04/05/13 Authenticated Dossier made it to our agency (we are now officially moving forward & are no longer re-doing CWA documents)
04/04/13 Authenticated by the State Dept & the Ethiopian Embassy. Our courier is FedExing our Dossier to CCI in Florida
04/02/13 #12 on CCI's referral list!
03/25/13 Power of Attorney and Cover Letter authenticated by the county & state. Mailed CWA's dossier & updated paperwork to our courier, The Assistant Stork in D.C. The courier will take off the gromit, take out CWA's paperwork, replace them with CCI's, and authenticate our dossier again.
03/21/13 Our updated paperwork is completed for CCI! Our new agency allowed us to be put on their waiting list, since we have lost so much time & money with CWA closing. Were officially #18, and SO EXCITED!!!!!
03/08/13 Approved to work with our new agency, Celebrate Children International (aka CCI)! Time to change our Dossier paperwork for our new agency.
03/04/13 Applied with an agency & anxiously waiting to hear if were approved to work with them!
02/20/13 Checking into more agencies that are approved for African adoptions
02/08/13 Our adoption agency (Christian World Adoption) officially closed. Our case was referred to a new agency, Illien Adoptions International (pending approval from MoWCY in Addis Ababa)
01/30/13 Dossier back from our Courier's authenticated by the State Department & the Ethiopian Embassy
01/18/13 Dossier (the paperwork & approved Home Study that we have been working months to complete) sent to our courier, The Assistant Stork in D.C.
01/16/13 Documents authenticated by the state of Ohio!
01/11/13 Documents authenticated by the county
12/24/12 Received our I-171H Approval from USCIS!!
11/30/12 Our scheduled USCIS apt in Columbus, OH!!
11/07/12 Mailed draft Dossier to CWA.
10/31/12 Mailed the I600A for USCIS (United States Citizen & imigration Services) apt. It is a part of Homeland Security, which will give us permission to bring an orphan into the country!
10/29/12 Home Study Approved!!!
09/19/12 Home Study visit with our social worker, Brenda
09/12/12 Started obtaining Dossier paperwork.
08/22/12 We listen to God, our little girl is in ETHIOPIA! Our girls are on board, so now we begin obtaining documents for our Home Study!
07/30/12 Kyrgyzstan is under investigation for adoption fraud, all adoptions placed on hold. Praying what to do next.
07/12/12 Approved to begin the process to adopt from Kyrgyzstan!!
07/01/12 Applied with Christian World Adoption (aka CWA)

Mullenhour's Journey to Ethiopia

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!!

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