| Paperchase Journal Part 2 |
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| 8-18-01 - Went to the Annual Three Rivers Families with Children from China picnic today. I had a great time. I met other waiting families including a couple who I have been e-mail buddies with since I began the journey. I also met several other families who have already adopted. It was really great to see so many happy families. |
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| 8-23-01 - Hopefully I will have the homestudy in my hands by Wednesday of next week. Then it is off to the INS and more waiting!!! The good news is I have found a courier to certify my papers at the Sec. of State in PA and won't have to drive the 5 hours to hand deliver them. |
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| 8-24-01 - I have the homestudy in my hands!!!!!!!! They called me around lunchtime to let me know the director stopped by and signed all my documents. I asked them to mail the INS their copy (which they should have by Tuesday) and then I drove the hour each way to the agency to pick up the my copy and the copy for the dossier. Now it's on to the wait for the infamous I-171H form from the INS. Let's cross our fingers! |
| 9-6-01 - No word yet on the I-171 form. I had hoped to have it by now but of course the INS would have had to have been extremely efficient for that to have truly happened. Plus the fact that we just had Labor Day weekend and that many folks take their last vacation right around now definitely may have an impact on the time. On another note, I'm picking up a new kitten today. She's 3/4 himalayan and 1/4 siamese. I need to meet her before I name her. Now I'll have two cats to search for mice in my house! |
| 9-12-01 - Still no word on the I-171. Once I've waited 3 weeks (which will be on 9-17) I will be able to fax an inquiry to the INS to get an update. I sure hope that they haven't lost my application! :) |
| 9-19-01 - I have been told by others that it has taken a little over 4 weeks before to get the I-171 after submitting the homestudy. Therefore, even though I feel like pulling my hair out, I'm not going to take drastic action (like storming the INS building demanding answers) until next week. Thank you to everyone who has been asking about my status. I still hope to be October DTC.. |
| 9-21-01 - I got a call from the INS today letting me know I was approved on Sept. 15th and that if I haven't gotten my form by Monday to give them a call and they would type up another copy and I could pick it up rather than waiting for it to be mailed. Well, when I got home, there it was! So, this offically concludes the Paperchase. Now comes the Paper approval stage. On Monday I will notarize the I-171 and send the whole bundle to the Pennsylvania Sec. of State for certification and then on to the Chinese Consulate in New York. I'm just thankful that the horrible tragedy in NYC didn't close down the consulate like it closed down the NY INS office. |
| 9-27-01 - Just got the docs back from the PA Sec. of State. They're off to the consulate this afternoon. The consulate closes for China's National Day holiday on 10/1 (and maybe 10/2) so that will delay the authentications but hopefully not too much! So close to completing my leg of things - I'm getting kind of giddy!! |
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| 10-2-01 - The last of my duties for the paperchase is completed - I have all my photos together. Now I just wait for my docs from the consulate... |
| 10-4-01 - My documents arrived from the NY consulate yesterday and after making copies of everything I sent my completed dossier to CCAI. It arrived there today!!! I will be able to call their dossier team on 11-1-01 to find out if and when my dossier was sent to China. My DTC date will probably be 5-7 days after that - which means that I may make DTC at the very end of October or the beginning of November. Well - this entry ends the last of the Paperchase. Whenever I write next - it will be under a new heading - the wait for referral. |
| Travel |