Dossier is in the MAIL!

Our USCIS fingerprints are finally done! 

We got a babysitter this time (thanks Melissa!) since we got angry stares and an old man actually swatted Grayson with a piece of paper the last time we tried to get them done!  Wise choice because the room was crowded and not likely to have been amused by our wild loud energetic two cuties. :)

I'm also so thankful that I took off the bandaid on my thumb right before I walked up to the window.  They ask to look at your hands (weird) and I wasn't sure what they were looking for, but just wanted to be safe.  Another wise choice.  I just have a small paper cut, but a lady behind me was sent home because she had an open cut on her finger.  I would have fallen to pieces if I'd been sent home again!

We got our fingerprints and headed straight to FedEx to get our dossier in the mail to AGCI.  Putting all these documents that you've spent 6 months preparing into one envelope kind of freaked me out.

What if it gets lost?  Can that happen?  I would lose my mind.  It better not happen.  How can we make that not happen?

So I then definitely freaked out the employee helping me by over emphasizing how important this package was and how I needed to make sure it got there safely.

She also probably wasn't amused when she asked me the value of the package and I said "priceless." 

Or when I asked her to take our picture.

Thankfully she obliged and didn't call us crazy.  At least out loud.  :)

I'm so excited to hit this milestone!  Honestly I expected to have our dossier done in March so this is a long time coming.  But I know God's timing is perfect and all that matters is that AGCI will have our dossier soon!

Once they approve our dossier, we should get our number on the official waitlist.  This number will be updated each month as families at the beginning of the list get referrals for their children.  Pray that referrals would start pouring in for these amazing families who have been waiting for so long!

A few people have told me that I might get depressed after sending in the dossier because then there is nothing to do but wait.  Right now that seems crazy to me!  I'm so glad to be done with paperwork and honestly have no trouble filling my time with a million other things.

But I also know that "The Wait" is so emotionally hard, especially for a "Martha" like me who likes a list to check off.  So don't be surprised when you see me crying and depressed in a week or two. :)

Until then, I'm rejoicing!  It has been a full year since we first realized that God was calling us to start the adoption process.  A long year as far as the adoption stuff, but a year of intense spiritual growth for our family. 

I praise the God who "sets the lonely in families" and give thanks because today we are one step closer to Easton becoming a part of our family!