Headlines: Darling Baby Boy is within Reach!

Our agency sent another update yesterday. Can I just say, the moment I don't think our little guy can get any cuter, he goes and does it? I mean C-U-T-E! I love the unexpected pictures, which they have been attaching. It makes the update all the sweeter. So, this time, "BabyOpia" is reaching for the camera in front of him. We couldn't believe how much he is changing, growing, and developing. Our last report, at four and a half months, he was not reaching and following items. So this is exciting on many fronts.

Our agency reported, "—It’s been fun to watch _________ grow over the past few months. He’s now got quite the curly little coif growing just on top of his head. His little body has filled out and he’s nice and chunky. However, he still seems like the same laid-back little guy. Today, when I visited with him, he enjoyed chewing on his little pillow and playing with the toys hanging from the top of his crib. What a delightful little guy!"
Ummmm, by the way, Dear Sirs and Madams, he's not just chunky...he's fat! And we love it! Keep up caring for him until we can get there.

Baring any more mishaps, we will be "BabyOpia's" parents soon. We should pass court next week, March 10th. This week, there was one item missing; it is said this is just a perfunctory measure. We believe it's true. From the sounds of things, there is no reason for concern. God's giving us an immeasurable amount of peace in the midst of unknown. This is where your jaw drops and you say to self, "What, Lori, not anxious? No fear, no tears, not pacing, needless organizing...sleepless nights?" Nope! He is proving to be our portion and peace as He has always promised.

Now, we are still navigating the re-fingerprinting issues. Our case worker was able to contact the U*CIS office yesterday. U*CIS said they were holding Josh's prints, while they waited on mine to arrive. WHAT? This was striking for a few reasons. 1. Josh and I re-printed together. My prints were taken literally seconds after his. 2. My prints will not expire until June. Why wait if my prints are still valid? 3. We had a similar issue with our original prints, which delayed our dossier five months. 4. Holding the prints means delaying our visa appt. in ET. Ugg! Things never work easily for us. Our case worker was quick to encourage the U*CIS office to send them to the Nat. Visa Center without further delay.

If you aren't familiar with this process you would need to know a few things: After we pass court next week we are legally "BabyOpia's" parents, and we can take placement of him as soon as we arrive in country. However, we cannot travel back with him until Josh's prints arrive in country, because our son will be immigrating to the US. The prints must be there with days to spare. If they arrive the day before our Embassy appt, we must wait for the next Embassy date...April 22. We have a few choices. We can travel, believing the prints will catch up with us in country, allowing us to travel back as originally planned. 2. We could delay travel and try to book tickets last minute and pay the optimum price. 3. We can travel knowing there is a possibility I would end up staying in country until the April date. We are choosing to move forward. We will travel on March 20th and hope for the best, but we are comfortable with the alternative. For us the bottom line remains; our son is there. We are here. We are ready for him. The sooner he is integrated into our family, the better. We can't stomach the thought of him remaining an extra month in an institution, while we could be holding, loving, and cuddling him.

It seems like the end, or beginning, is just within reach. Our son should be in our arms within the month. Two years, many tears, lots of prayers, and much support are culminating into the son for whom we have longed. Come home, "BabyOpia", come home!