Criminal or no criminal...I think no

Today was a pretty monumental day in our adoption process because we sent off our I600A to the USCIS (Unites States Citizenship and Immigration Services) for approval. This document establishes a file with The Department of Homeland Security for approval of a child we adopt to be classified as an immediate relative thus eligible for a priority visa. Once initially reviewed they will send us information on how to get fingerprinted (for the second time). Yes, that is right, we have to go get fingerprinted twice for adoption just to make extra sure we are not criminals I guess.


I was thinking the other day, I wonder if my dad had to go through this process, what kind of dirt the USCIS would dig up on him? Hmmmm....just kidding dad!
We also mailed in our initial application to Dove in Oregon. Dove is our placement agency that will be working with us to adopt in Ethiopia being Crossroads does not have a 'presence' in Ethiopia. Ethiopia actually is not allowing any further agencies to bring in care centers. Dove works with the SOS EE Orphanage, which is actually a European run center. They have a very great presence in Ethiopia. They have over 20 intake orphanages through the country where children are cared for until there is room to move Addis Ababa orphanages, Toukoul I II and III, which is the care center we would go to adopt. I will post some videos of Toukoul in the next few days.

Some of you may or may not have seen the front page of the Star Tribune on Sunday. It was a documentary of sorts related to international adoption. It did not portray International Adoption in a positive light, it referenced both children and families hoping to adopt being exploited and taken advantage of. Sam and have discussed this sadness of the article, but we are fully confident in our decisions and the agencies that we working with. It is terribly sad however to see the heartbreak that some families have gone through.
Enough about adoption....Sam is playing in the State Football Tournament this year again. Hopefully the will be the reigning champions for the second year! Go Sammy!