FedEx Arrives/Dossier Authenticated!

Our dossier has arrived back from the Vietnamese Consulate in San Francisco! It has been AUTHENTICATED and is ready to go to VIETNAM, get translated and be logged in with the DIA (Department of International Adoptions). The paperwork in FINALLY over - YAY!!! Once our dossier leaves for Vietnam, we are officially considered "WAITING" for the referral of our little girl. We are so excited about the next step of this incredible journey!

3 Day Weekend!

We are so happy with our decision to change agencies as our new agency is amazing! They are so quick to answer emails & return phone calls and they genuinely have care and concern for their clients. The joy and excitement of our adoption journey is back in our hearts. I plan to spend some time working on Samantha's room this weekend. (3 days with nothing much planned - YAY!) Although her room is painted, fully furnished w/bedding & curtains, and her closet is full of clothes, I have not done anything in the way of decorating. There is NOTHING on the walls yet. I hope to change that this weekend and post pictures soon! (Speaking of the closet full of clothes, I had to post a picture of my latest purchase from Baby Gap...does it get mcuh cuter that brown w/pink polka dots??? I couldn't pass this one up at the clearance price of $6.99!)

A New Chapter...

Well, as I've said before, I don't want to harp on the negative details of what's been going on, but long story short, our agency was not being truthful and things were not going well for all involved. Late last night we made the decision to part ways with our agency and switch to a larger, more reputable agency called PLAN (Plan Loving Adoptions Now). So, today starts a new chapter in our adoption journey. Samantha, we know you're out there....we're coming! Although we are a little frustrated to have to make this change so far into the process, better now than later as things were headed downhill quickly. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful group of supportive friends that are right here with us in this adoption journey and I will be forever greatful of all your support (you know who you are!) We feel very confident with PLAN as they have an awesome reputation with ALL of their clients. To Jenna, Cheryl & Julie, I am praying for you all and I just know everything is going to work out for the better. Hang in there!

A New View!

OK, I have not been posting all the "specifics" of the issues we've been having in this process as I want this blog to remain a happy place! But, I have to admit, there have been some information out there that has caused us to have concerns to say the very least. SO...I have decided that I've had all of that funk I can stand and I am going to devote myself to prayer for the situations at hand and trust that God will reign here and all will work out. I decided to "cheer-up" my little spot on the web with some brightness. I liked the way it looked before, but I needed a break from black!

Dossier to Vietnam Consulate!

We are sending our documents via FedEx to the Vietnam Consulate today to be authenticated. Our original plan was to send them off last week, but there were a few minor complications along the way, however, they will be headed out today. If you are following our adoption journey, we ask for your prayers at this time as our agency is having some issues getting their official license complete is Tay Ninh, and that is the province where Samantha will be from.

Happy To See Mr. FedEx Again!

Today the FedEx man delivered two envelopes from the Texas & Oklahoma Secretary of State offices. All of our dossier documents have their "official seal of approval" and will be on their way to the Vietnamese Consulate in San Francisco first thing tomorrow morning! Yeah, one more step to cross off our list! DTV... I can almost taste it!!!

Dossier to Secretary of State!

Well, today we are sending our dossier off to the Secretary of State to get it authenticated. It is a good feeling to finally get it off my desk and out of the house! BUT...the real relief will be when we are DTV (dossier to Vietnam). My goal was to be DTV by the end of July, but July has come and gone, so now I am hoping we will have that accomplished by the end of August. I'm also hoping we hear some news on referrals REALLY soon! That would be awesome!

Long Boat Key Island Beach, Florida

We spent a wonderful weekend on Long Boat Key Island Beach in Florida with our two boys! It was a great little gettaway (but could have been a few days longer!) We stayed at a beautiful Hilton resort. The boys loved every minute of the sandy beach and the pool & hot tub. It was their first time to fly and their first time to see the ocean.

As for me, I loved every minute of it! Two emotional moments - 1) I looked out across the ocean and thought of Samantha waiting for us in an orphanage and wished she could be with her family now. 2) Walking off the plane and watching families greet loved ones, I couldn't keep from longing for the day that we are stepping off the plane with Samantha, greeting her siblings, grandparents & friends. That day cannot come soon enough!

To see more pics of our gettaway, visit our family blog @ www.fieldbunch.blogspot.com

Another New Month

Can you believe it's August already? It seems like yesterday that I was posting on July 1st! I was really hoping that July would bring great news of referrals as well as being "Dossier To Vietnam." But July is gone and our dossier is with our agency being reviewed. I received an email last night stating I would get a list of things that are wrong with it today. What now??? Sometimes I wonder if all of our paperwork will ever be right! Maybe August will be the month for BIG news! Still hoping!