To Rescue Our Princess....an Adoption Story: Let her eat cake!!!

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, January 26, 2011

Let her eat cake!!!

Happy Birthday sweet Everlyn Grace!!!

Today is our little monkey's 3rd birthday. I must admit, it is bittersweet. Of course, we are THRILLED that she is home with us where she belongs.... But today is also the day, three years ago, that her birth parents met her, looked at her sweet face, and decided that she wasn't going home with them. THAT my friends breaks my heart. You see, not only is today her birthday, it is her "orphanversary"....the day she became an orphan.

This girl is perfect (minus some screeching here and there...LOL!). She is ours. And she is LOVED! :o)

Her party was Saturday and it was AWESOME! We celebrated with family and some very special friends! My friend Lori, who has a daughter with that "something extra" drove up from Atlanta to be here...and take some AWESOME pics. And another "new" friend, Tiffany was here too...with her daughter who was also blessed with that awesome extra chromosome. Yes, it was a GOOD day.

Here is a pic taken by Lori of Everlyn's "cake smash". Yes, I know this is a 1st birthday tradition, but if you think about it, this WAS her 1st birthday! Tiffany offered to bake the smash cake...which was ADORABLE!

More photos can be seen on Lori and Tiff's blogs.

So Happy Birthday sweet Princess! We love you so very much!

7 comments:

Jo's Corner said...: Happy Birthday, Precious Everlyn!; January 26, 2011 at 4:53 PM
The Mac's House said...: Happy Birthday Everlyn! Saw the pics on the other sites and I have to say the one with her cake everywhere was too precious!; January 26, 2011 at 5:21 PM
flojomo said...: Happy Birthday Beautiful.; January 31, 2011 at 3:05 PM
Monica said...: Happy birthday, little doll! I'm so happy she has a familynow, that will celebrate with her :-); February 1, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Blogging Friend said...: Ashli,

I am so sorry that I missed this. I have had a lot of things going on and have neglected in following my blogging friends.
I love the pictures of Everlyn. She is an absolute doll and looks very happy now. I did go and look at the pictures on the other blogs.
Is she still sleeping in your room or has she moved to her own room. How are things going with blonding and attachment? From pictures she looks pretty attached to me. LOL!!

Please update on how she and the rest of you are doing when you can. I will check for a new post soon.

Love,
Sheila; February 17, 2011 at 12:06 AM
The Tiny Team said...: Your daughter is just stunning!

I keep checking your blog to see if there will be any info on Meade. You are so lucky you got to meet him! You can just tell he's special! I want to band people together and spread the word about him!

Blessings!
Amy; February 28, 2011 at 3:57 PM
The Tiny Team said...: Oh my goodness! Your daughter is gorgeous!

I keep checking your blog to see if there will be any info on cutie little Meade! I so want to get the word out and find that honey a home!

Blessings to your sweet fam!

-Amy; March 7, 2011 at 1:06 PM