Second DNA Results Received - on to PINK!

It won't be long now! My agency received the results for the 2nd DNA test and they'll be sent to the US Embassy tomorrow. With the proper star alignment this means that the US Embassy will issue my pink slip (in this case it is a good thing) to my atty and embassy appointment date. I'm guessing my embassy day will be 9/10!!!

All this and a contract on my condo today too. Now to find a new place. YIKES!

Training, we don't need no stinkin' training...

I received word from my agency today that we were submitted for PINK today! Apparently the embassy granted some appointments - despite original word that they were taking the whole week off for training. So what is left is getting the 2nd DNA test done and final review and signoff by the US Embassy (resulting in a PINK slip).

I did see that someone received PINK today after having been submitted 2 weeks ago. YIKES! This could mean travel the week of 9/10! More to follow...

We got Birth Certificate today!

Only 1.5 weeks to get the new birth certificate (from GC for those that are tracking timelines). This is really quick. The birth cert has Charlies given birth name as his first name and my last name as his last name. It also officially lists me as his mother. Our adoption is complete according to the Guatemala gov't!

The bummer is that getting the BC a week or so earlier than expected doesn't speed up the overall process. The US Embassy isn't taking any appointments for the next week due to training (what?!?). So we can't be submitted for 'pink' until 8/27. Basically, this last step is a US Embassy review of all docs to approve for a US Visa. This includes a new step where a second DNA test is done (to verify this was the same baby that started the process - with the same birthmom). With this new process, it isn't clear when we'll get pink.

Hopefully we'll be travelling in mid to late September to pick him up! Stay tuned...

No News is Good News...

Well, now the final wait begins. It is hard to believe that this is finally all coming together. All this, while trying to sell our condo and find a new place. I just KNOW that something will happen on my condo JUST as I'm about to take off for Guatemala. Uggh - the thought of moving with two of them home.

Anyone know of anyone looking for a vintage 2br condo in Chicago??!?!

There probably won't be any more news for 2 weeks (just waiting for a birth certificate that has his 'new' last name!). But come back next week, as I should have updated pictures from him monthly medical appointment.

We're OUT!!!

That is a good thing. It means we're out of PGN - which is the most unpredictable time in the adoption process. We were in 1 day shy of 10 weeks - which is on the lower end of average.

If all goes well, Charlie will be home in roughly 5 weeks. That having been said, today is the first day that a new process went into affect. The US Embassy is now requiring a second DNA test (testing Charlie to ensure that he still matches the DNA results on file for his birthmom to validate that there wasn't a baby switch mid process). It is not clear how long that will take, but I'm hoping 5 weeks is a fair guess to pickup.

I'll keep you posted!