Ethiopia Adoption Timeline

*  9/11/12- Decision was made to adopt.  Identified agency, Adoption Avenues and filled out
   application.

*  9/12/12-Mailed application to agency. Order birth certificates for myself and my husband.

*  9/13/12-Created this blog.  Ordered daughter's birth certificates. Considered names for a boy or a girl.
   Girl: Olivia- Biblical Meaning: the olive tree is a symbol of fruitfulness, beauty, and dignity.
   Boy: Christian-Biblical Meaning: Anointed

*  9/14/12-Received my birth certificate.  Made an appointment for home study. 

*  9/15/12-Completed i600-A form and started dossier package. Received our adoption contract!

*  9/17/12-Completed more documents.  Spent an hour getting documents notarized.  Took passport  
    photos needed for dossier.   Ordered copy of marriage certificates.  Made appointments for physicals. 

*  9/18/12- Our first home study meeting!!  We now have more documents to fill out and we have to get our
   fingerprints taken our local police station, which will take place on 9/21.  Once we send back our
   fingerprints and all of the requested docs, we will be assigned a case worker and we will schedule our
   actual home visit.  Although this is a lot of paperwork, it puts us one step closer to bringing home our son
   or daughter!  :-)

*  9/20/12- Finished all of the home study documents.

* 9/21/12- Officially under contract with Adoption Avenues.  Fingerprinting completed.

*  9/24/12-  Family physicals complete.

*  9/25/12- All Home Study documents completed and mailed

*  9/26/12-State criminal background completed.  Had to get Minnesota ID for Adam Walsh fingerprinting

*  10/9/12-Dana completed 10 hours adoption training course

*  10/10/12-Home Study #1 completed

* 10/15/12-Dion completed 10 hour adoption training course

*  10/15/12-Home Study #2 completed

*  11/12/12-Home Study Approval Received

*  11/26/12-Picked up final copy of Home Study and I-600a form

*  11/27/12-Mailed I-600a form to USCIS

*  11/28/12-Confirmed that I-600a form was delivered to USCIS

*  12/3/12-Received email and text notification that our application had been received and that we would receive for I-797 in the mail within 7-10 days

*  12/6/12-Received I-797c form confirming that our information had been sent to Missouri for processing

*  12/8/12-Received our biometrics appointment scheduled for 12/27

*  12/27/12-Biometrics complete!

*  1/28/13-I-171H received!

*  2/21/13-Dossier mailed to Adoption Avenues

*  2/26/13-Dossier mailed from Adoption Avenues to U.S. Embassy in D.C.

*  2/28/13-Dossier received at U.S. Embassy in D.C.

*  3/11/13-Dossier arrived in Ethiopia!

*  6/24/13-Referral received!

*  6/28/13-Submitted to court!

*  7/8/13-Received update.  Finder's Hearing is scheduled for 7/9/13!

*  7/26/13-Received court date for 8/7/13!  We beat the court closure for rainy season!  woohoo!

*  8/2/13-Left Atlanta headed to Ethiopia!  3 stops and 25 hours of travel!  

*  8/4/13- Metcha Day!

* 8/7/13- Gothcha Day! Took custody of Christian Fanuel

*  8/19/13-Submitted to US Embassy

*  8/22/13-Cleared Embassy!!!!!

*  8/24/13-We are officially a family of five!  We are HOME!