To Rescue Our Princess....an Adoption Story: Finally! A few pictures....

Our Adoption Timeline

11-2-10 - FLY HOME WITH OUR GIRL!!!!!!

11-1-10 - Pick up Everlyn's visa

10-28-10 - US Embassy appointment and medical exam

10-27-10 - GOTCHA DAY! :o) Returned to Kiev.

10-25-10 - Our 10-day wait ends...

10-16-10 - Our 10-day wait begins...

10-15-10 - We are shocked with an early court date. It's OFFICIAL - Everlyn is our daughter!!!

10-14-10 - Interpol clearance arrives at the SDA.

10-12-10 - Court papers filed in Everlyn's region...and it's my BIRTHDAY!!! :o)

10-8-10 - We met Everlyn!

10-7-10 - Pick up official referral paperwork and headed to her region by overnight train.

10-6-10 - SDA appt! :o) Of course we ACCEPTED her referral!

10-3-10 - We left for Everlyn's birth country!

9-9-10 - We got our travel date!

9-2-10 - Dossier successfully submitted to the SDA!

8-30-10 - Hard copy of dossier delivered to translation team.

8-26-10 - Hard copy of dossier Fed Ex'd to Everlyn's birth country and a copy faxed to our translator so translation can begin ASAP!

8-25-10 - Our 171H arrived! The last piece of the puzzle is here!

6-25-10 - Final documents arrived for our dossier. IT IS DONE....except for the 171H from the USCIS. Praying it comes quickly!

6-23-10 - USCIS fingerprints DONE - 3 weeks ahead of scheduled appt! WooHoo!

6-10-10 - Home study COMPLETE!! Sent in I-600A - "Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition" with copy of Home study, birth certificates, marriage certificate and a sweet little cover letter (with her picture on it) asking the USCIS to expedite our application so we can get our sweet Princess home quickly!!

6-9-10 - Bloodwork done for dossier medical form. Mailed marriage certificates for Illinois apostilles.

6-8-10 - Passports arrive!!!

6-7-10 - CSP and POAs arrive in Everlyn's birth country

6-3-10 - Child Specific Petition and Power of Attorneys notarized, apostilled and sent to Everlyn's birth country!

6-2-10 - Home Study draft ready...let the proofreading begin!

6-1-10 - Results of psych eval appt. (Yikes!) Update: We're not crazy. :o)

5-28-10 - Sent our "information request letter" to the SDA.

5-27-10 - Applied for "expedited" passports

5-24-10 - Home Study "wrap-up" meeting

5-20-10 - Eric's psychological evaluation

5-19-10 - Ashli's psychological evaluation and physical

5-18-10 - Physicals for Easton and Emersen

5-17-10 - Final (marathon) homestudy visit! We are cramming the last three into one so we can get our Princess home SOON!

5-14-10 - Physical for Eric

5-12-10 - Physicals for Elijan and Elliston

5-11-10 - First homestudy visit!

5-5-10 - Homestudy application approved. Hard copies of RR forms mailed.

5-4-10 - Completed Disclosure & FSP forms and emailed/faxed them to Reece's Rainbow. Completed home study application and dropped it off at Small World Adoption Foundation of Missouri with photos and application fee.

5-3-10 - Emailed Andrea at Reece's Rainbow letting her know we wanted to commit to adopting "C"!!!

4-30-10 - Saw the most precious picture of "C" on the Reece's Rainbow website. Emailed Andrea at RR for more info.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Finally! A few pictures....

OK - I thought I would post some long overdue pictures while my internet seems to be working here at the apartment. Warning - picture overload!

A few of the groceries we picked up. I can endure ANYTHING if I have Coke!

Our apartment here in Kiev

The world's smallest (and most TERRIFYING) elevator - but a necessity since we are on the 8th floor. It shorts out and the lights go out and it doesn't move. FREAKS.ME.OUT. I am claustrophobic and HATE elevators, especially this one. What I wouldn't go through for this little girl!

The little flashcards I picked up. I thought the kids at home would enjoy seeing "common" words in Everlyn's language. Once I opened them, I realized it is actually a "matching game". I plan to let the kids use the 1st set as flashcards and put the duplicate set away in her memory box.

This is a gorgeous building under construction across from our apartment.

The Kiev Opera House

A Statue of Volinsky (I think)

And the AMAZING churches we saw today. We didn't have a chance to go inside, but snapped some pics from the car on the way to the SDA. They don't build them quite like this in the US, huh?

And last but certainly NOT least.....we asked permission to take a picture of her SDA file photo to keep for her since we have very very few photos of her has a baby (read....2). Isn't she so sweet? Love her!

Tomorrow we will pick up our referral and catch the evening train to her region. We would appreciate continued prayers!

Love,

Ashli and Eric

5 comments:

Unknown said...: So glad to see pictures. Your apartment looks very nice, even with the scary elevator. Hope you both are getting some rest to prepare for the night train tomorrow. You want to look your best for Miss Everlyn!! Can't wait to see updated pictures of her!

Tell Everlyn that Gigi loves her!!; October 6, 2010 at 5:13 PM
Zann said...: I love the picture of Everlyn! What a beautiful baby (but we already knew that!) I am so excited for this journey you are taking! :); October 6, 2010 at 5:22 PM
Emily said...: Very cute baby picture! I love the idea of making her a memory box of items from her region. Everyone here wishes you the best. You and Eric are in our thoughts and prayers.; October 6, 2010 at 11:18 PM
Becky said...: You are staying literally across the street from our apartment we had in Kiev! I'm so glad you are headed to her region, I can't wait to see pics of that sweet girl!
That orange juice you bought, BEST ONE in Ukraine! We buy one every two days, its so good!; October 7, 2010 at 5:44 AM
Kirsten said...: Ashli, I think you are staying in the exact same apt we stayed if for our first 2 nights! We were on the 8th floor also with the horrible skinny elevator. Did you have a tiger striped blanket on the bed??
I love that you love Coke (I'm a diet pepsi person, and we bought the "american" sandwich bread too!!) Too funny!!!!; October 8, 2010 at 6:47 PM