CLEARER MINDS PREVAIL!!!

Finally out of the medication haze and the I800, I864 and I864A plus all supporting documentation is done, copied, put into appropriate FedEx mailers and Mike will take into FedEx in the a.m. Little did I realize going into this (I defy anyone to think of all the possibilities at the beginning)that by adopting 2 we effectively doubled the amount of paperwork. Hardly anything is combined. Kristine and the rest of Holt have been very good about not duplicating if possible but no one has control of the paper hungry machine of governments. I am in awe of the parents adopting a larger sibling group! Now we wait for approval again....

Make a Smilebox photobook

Virus, Allergic Reaction and Filing I800

It's been an eventful week. I (Lori) came down with a virus on Monday that caused inflammation between my sternum and ribs. What? I don't know-just know that it put me out of commission a few days when I needed to be working on the I-800. Then I get a call saying that Sydney's had an allergic reaction to some unknown thing-she'd not be happy if I posted a picture of her lips let's just say "Angelina Jolie plus some". Anyway that was a trip to the emergency room and now she carries an epipen and will undergo allergy testing. Then we get the wonderful news that the I800A is approved and the boys legals have arrived and yes we can file the I800 now.....Great except I have to make final revisions, make copies and triple check all my work. Unfortunately I can even tell I'm not rowing with all oars in the water from the medication they've put me on. Think it best if I just wait for 2 days until I'm med free and functioning. No one should fill out the immigration paperwork without all brain pathways firing.....or maybe they should?

I800A Approval & Legals Too!

What a very busy day. We got a call that the boys' legals have arrived from the Philippines (2 weeks). We need those so we can file the I800. Then Mike went out to pick up the mail and surprise! we recieved the I800A approval just 9 days after our biometric fingerprints were completed. Now we move onto the I800. Seems like everytime I talk with Kristine at Holt we both end up saying wow a whole lot during the conversation. The last 6 weeks have been sooooo crammed with approvals I have to admit we are having trouble keeping up with the next step. We're definately not complaining as it will hopefully bring the boys home that much quicker. We could definately use some extra prayers that the last major hurdles are met and our family can be together. Stress is a major factor in our lives right now.

Blip -

Heard from Holt Thursday that USCIS is requesting an addendum to the I800A. They just want a "canned" paragraph in there on Rachel that hadn't been included. Not a big deal and Holt in Omaha is handling it and should send it to USCIS on Monday. I guess if this is the only paperwork glitch we will be lucky. It hopefully will clear the way for I800A approval and we can move on the I800 as soon as the boys' legals arrive.

Touchdown in Manila

We have word today from Holt in Oregon that the boys arrived in Manila at the KBF office to meet Eva on 7/16. Right on schedule. Lucas got airsick and Eli had a blast on the flight. I'd say Lucas is going to have a miserable 15+ hour trip home. He won't be alone, he and I will just have to stake out the restroom on the plane...bonding the hard way!
They will start school on Tuesday of this next week. They're new foster mother will start calling them by their new names. The boys were asked how they felt about the new names Lucas smiled and said he liked them. Eli didn't express his view either way (bet he let's us know down the road).
When looking at the photos we sent over they are very enamored with the big screen t.v. in the livingroom (sorry boys no satellite or cable) and also with Mike's aunt Teddie's horse (Aunt Teddie was in the picture too but the horse won). Don't know how we break the news that she lives 900 miles from us and so does her horse.

Our Handsome Sons

Our handsome boys, Lucas Alan Lowie and Eli Stephen Towie. These were taken on their way to school the first week of June 2009. The boys will be moving to the Manila foster home on July 16. We hear they are very excited - we are too!

I Have How Many Kids?

Ha! Here's an epiphany for you I just figured out I'm the mother of 5 - I'm a little surprised that I've defined myself (in my own head) as a mother of 3 that it's a little hard to think that I've got 5 kids now! Ya I know it's late as I write this and should now go to bed. Thanks for humoring me :)

ICAB APPROVAL!

We recieved a call late Thursday afternoon, July 2 from Holt. Kristine said she had good news for us - we had officially been approved by ICAB. Seems like we've waited a long time to hear those words. What's even more surprising was that Kristine estimates we're looking at 6-12 weeks until we bring them home. That made me take a seat. We've been working on a time frame of months and then to have it reduced to week format was great, scary, amazing, surprising and did I mention great! We will give them our verbal acceptance on Monday, they are closed for the holiday, then they will send for the boys' legals usually these are taking 3 weeks and then they will be able to go in with the I800 which she says is taking 3 weeks to process. 3weeks for legals, 3weeks for I800 then however long it takes to get the medicals and visa processed. Lucas and Eli have also been told that they have a dad and mom. Lucas said "God answered my prayers - when do we get to fly on the airplane?" Got to love that!