Short Update

I received a call from my adoption coordinator today. She has been out of the office for the past two weeks for graduation. She just completed her Masters of Social Work degree. She is very competent and consciensious (SP?). She was just calling to let me know the status of my paperwork. Most of my paperwork has come back from the Guatemalan consulates. While she was gone the agency director sent off the last three documents to the consulate in Denver. Those should be coming back soon.

Now I am just waiting (not very patiently I might add) for my Immigration (USCIS) clearance to come back. It will be 3 weeks this next Monday and the typical turnaround is 2-6 weeks. I am right in the middle of the waiting time. I am hoping it comes soon. I did check my bank account and they have cashed my check which I have found through my other experiences dealing with government agencies during this process that they are working on the file. In all of the other cases (passport, ordering birth certificates, getting state background checks) within about a week of the check being cashed, I received the documents. I hope this holds true.

After my Immigration clearance comes back, my paperwork (dossier) goes to Guatemala and I will receive my "referral" which is when the attorney in Guatemala matches me with a child.

I am starting to feel a lot of anticipation to see what my daughter will look like.

The bad news I received today from the adoption coordinator is that the final court in the Guatemalan process (PGN court) is very backlogged. Apparently the chief of the court is looking at EVERY case. I guess he is investigating because so many cases are being thrown out of the court for insufficent information. When this happens, the lawyers have to get the new requirements of the court and then "reenter" the PGN. According the my coordinator, there are currently 500 cases pending in the PGN. They don't know how long he is going to continue looking at each case but they are currently expecting delays. Hopefully they can get these issues smoothed out and get things running again. I guess the bright side is that just because you are #500, doesn't mean you will be the last to be processed. It isn't a first in, first out system.

I guess time will tell. My friend Peggy told me that I am starting to "nest." I have finished one quilt and I am now settling into hand quilting a queen size quilt that I have been working on for the past 2 years. It is very satisfying and relaxing.

Well, I need to go to sleep. TGIF tomorrow! It has been a long week at work with lots of computer issues.

Susan