The process... kinda boring, but people have asked.

Thank you to everyone for your excitement for us!  

Please continue to pray for our little guy and us while we're in the waiting phase.

After sharing our exciting news - lots of people have wanted more details about the process...

Where are we in the process?

When will we travel?

How long till we meet him?

Etc, etc etc.

Let me outline the process for you and explain why we can't jump on a plane and go get him 

(like we so badly want to do).

__x__  Step 1:  Home Study

__x__  Step 2:  File I-600a (immigration form for the US) and get approval

__x__  Step 3:  Prepare dossier (bazillions of papers and signatures)

__x__  Step 4:  Sign on with an attorney in the DRC.

__x__  Step 5:  Receive referral!!!!  

____  Step 6:  Obtain Abandonment Certificate and Commune Consent:  

These papers will hold his "story" of abandonment.  They will go to the commune where to child resided (or was found) to receive consent that we can go to court.

***  This is the step we're waiting on currently.

____  Step 7:  Court Hearing:  After getting consent, a hearing is requested.  After the hearing, the court conducts an investigation to determine the adoption is legitimate and legal.

____  Step 8:  Judgement:  Once the investigation from court is complete, we will get judgement.

____  Step 9:  We have a 30 day wait period and then the adoption is FINAL!

____  Step 10:  CONA:  The certificate of non-appeal is issued which makes the adoption legal and final. 

____  Step 11:  We will get his birth certificate.

____  Step 12:  We will apply for his passport.

____  Step 13:  We will file I-600 with US immigration and await approval for our specific child.

____  Step 14:  Request embassy appointments (our lawyer will complete these for us in country).

____  Step 15:  Orphan Investigation:  The US Embassy will conduct an investigation in the DRC to make sure everything is legal and correct.

____  Step 16:  We will get his Visa.

____  Step 17:  TRAVEL to get our son!!!!!!!!

____  Step 18:  We wait for our exit letter from the country (meanwhile we will get to know our son and explore his country).

Step 19:  Travel home to begin life as a family of 5!

As you can see, we have a ways to go.  

Some steps will go quick and others will go slow.  

I will definitely keep you updated.  

Please pray through the list with us as we progress. 

Watch for a post later this week about his name...  

What a special little dude he is to us already!