thanksgiving thankfullness

This week has been filled with great news and fun things for us, and it's only Tuesday!

First, this came.

This is an official form from the government that basically means they have started our immigration file. This letter confirms receipt of the 1-600a form that we mailed in. The 1-600a is a form to petition the government to allow us to bring an orphan into the country. It's sister form, the I-600 will be filed as soon as we get the official legal paperwork on Bates from Korea. This form is great news, especially because the time frames were thought to lengthen because now you have to send your petitions through a lockbox in Texas rather than directly to the immigration office in Memphis. So our file has been started. Now we just wait for the letter that gives us our appointments to have our fingerprints done with the FBI.

Secondly, over the weekend Nick and I were in Atlanta for the National Youth Worker Convention and we went to Ikea. We bought this dresser for Bates' room. Yeah! And don't worry, it already has quite a bit of clothes in it!



Lastly, yesterday our social worker emailed me a draft of our homestudy. She had a few questions about dates that I need to clarify. I sent her back the answers and she said she would update it and send it onto Holt. Once they approve it, it will be headed to Korea for approval. Once the Korean government approves it, they will send us his legal paperwork (then we can post his picture!) I have my fingers crossed that it will be in Korea by the end of the week. That may be wishing for too much, but I can hope!

What a great Thanksgiving week. While I am sad our boy won't be home for his first Thanksgiving, this great news has made the week a little easier!