Almost time

It's surreal that we submitted our completed dossier to the attorney in Haiti on October 21, 2011,
eight months after meeting our son and receiving permission to adopt him.

A full year after meeting Sister Carmelle and getting her blessing to adopt from the orphanage in Fondwa.

This week we submitted the final documents requested by the United States Citizenship and Immigration department to support our son's orphan status.

Now we wait . . .
We have gotten better at waiting.

The next step?
USCIS will (hopefully) approve Dimitry's orphan status and legal adoption --

they will notify us via email,

and we will sing and dance and shout praises of joy.

Then,
we will wait for the final email: a visa application appointment.

After all this time and travel and expense,
this is the end of the adoption journey . . .
and the beginning of a wonderful adventure.

Along the way,
we've met some awesome individuals and families
who have shared their stories, their struggles, their triumphs, and their advice with us.

Most of these faces we will never see in person,
but thanks to Facebook and email,
we know them
and we've cried with them,
we've prayed for them
and we've rejoiced as they've gotten closer to bringing their babies home.

Soon, it will be Dimitry's turn.

I cannot believe that he turned 8 years old this week.

I cannot believe how much has happened and changed since that first trip to Fondwa in February 2011.

I cannot believe that we are finally this close to our son's homecoming.

Now,
we wait.