Court Case Decided

We just got the word that the court case went fine and Claire is legally our child in Ethiopia!!!!

We've mailed the payment for our plane tickets to the travel agent. We'll leave the country on March 18th, arrive in Addis on March 19th, and get to meet Claire on March 20th, the first day of spring! We will arrive back in Minnesota on March 27!

Claire's Adoption Timeline

May 12, 2008 Homestudy with IAS (International Adoption Services)

May 21, 2008 Adoption Application Faxed to WACAP (our adoption agency)

May till November LOTS OF PAPERWORK, NOTARIZED, CERTIFIED, FINGERPRINTED ETC.

August 7, 2008 WACAP receives homestudy from IAS

August 13, 2008 Applied to USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)

August 15, 2008 WACAP approves application

September 25, 2008 Approved by USCIS

October 29, 2008 Received Claire’s information from WACAP

November 4, 2008 Official acceptance letter received by WACAP

December 16, 2008 Notified of Court Date

February 13, 2009 Court Date!!!!! We'll officially be parents!

March 20, 2009 We meet Claire for the first time in Ethiopia!

Court Date!

So, our court date is February 13, 2009! There has been a petition for an earlier date, but until then, Feb 13th it is! After the new year we'll buy our plane tickets for mid March. Airlines have good deals if you're adopting--up to 60% off tickets and no penalties for changing dates if it's adoption related.

Shai's birthday is Feb 1st and mine is Feb 14th...how fun that Claire's adoption day is between our birthdays! February is party month at our house!