Paperwork, paperwork!

Here it is, Saturday, and I'm still running around with my head cut off. Wednesday, of course was pretty busy. We told people at work, posted the news on the blog, and then on Facebook. Those three things kept me pretty busy. Thanks for all of the well wishes. I know we are not alone in this journey! Wednesday after work (golf for Rob) we were going to Sioux Falls for a school conference that Rob goes to every year. So since we hadn't packed on Tuesday, we got our things together and were on the road by 6:30. Thursday morning, my friends Jen  and Ang came with Ang's daughter, Emily, and the girls swam in the pool for a couple of hours. Then we headed to the mall for dinner and pedicures. Murphy sat so well; we really had a good time. She loves getting her nails done. She usually peels it off (her fingers at least) within a couple of days, but I think she'll leave it on her toes for a while. I tried shopping but it's just too hard to shop when I'm constantly putting everything back on the racks that Murphy has taken off. We met Christy and Rob for supper and then Rob, Rob, and Murphy went back to Rob and Christy's to watch the Charger game while Christy and I went shopping! I've been saving coupons and Gap/Old Navy Buck Back forEVER so I was able to get quite a few clothes. I think I have all of the 3-6 months clothes we'll need for the trip and got some 6-9 months stuff, as well as some for next summer since that was all on clearance. Yesterday morning Murph swam for a while then we got everything ready for when Rob was done with his conference at noon. I got in a few more stores while Rob, Murphy, and now Riley, who had been at Mini Critters, got gas, deposited some checks... And then the big question of the day would be for the USCIS (Immigration). We originally applied for our I-800A, which is how the USCIS determines if we are eligible to adopt a child from Hague country, in May of 2010. It has a 15 month expiration date. So we have been working on extending that since the beginning of July. We know that they have received our extension application, but we haven't received our fingerprint notice (we have to have our fingerprints done in Sioux Falls). So since we were in SF, we decided to try to get an appointment. I called the USCIS officer in charge of our case and she said there wasn't a way to call the local office but that we could just show up and ask if they could do the fingerprints. She also said we needed to be prepared for them to say no. We knew that was their right to say no, so would have not have been surprised had they done so. But they didn't! We have had such luck with the woman who works there. She's been very accommodating to us with both adoptions. So our fingerprints are done and we won't have to worry about going back in a week or two when they tell us we finally have an appointment. So our next step is to complete the I-800, which is how the USCIS determines if Jack is eligible to be adopted by us.  Yes, I know, very confusing. So that is what will take quite a bit of our next six weeks. Had we not been out of town this week, I would have already submitted this to Bettina. I did a hand-written version while Rob was driving so I'll enter it all in the computer today and send it to her this weekend. Then we can officially get it sent off once she tells me it's OK. We'll also be going between the storage shed today to get the baby supplies and take out the stuff in the extra bedroom. Poor Benny is going to lose her bed today! She always sleeps on the bed upstairs and I don't think she is going to be thrilled about having a crib in her room. We are a few days closer! And not only is today my nephew Collin's 27th birthday (I'm not sure it's possible that it's been 27 years!), Jack is three months old! We know Ayudame is taking great care of him. We'll be there before we know it. Happy Saturday, everyone!