Our Journey to Africa

Our Adoption Timeline

Mid-December 2009 - officially requested an application from Edna Gladney
Jan 8, 2010 - Sent in our I600-A to the USCIS
Jan 12, 2010 - Did our FBI Clearance packets & overnighted them.
Jan 16, 2010 - Sent in about 2/3 of the Edna Gladney paperwork.
Jan 20, 2010 - Got word from Gladney that we'll be hearing about a homestudy soon. Paperwork part is almost done!
Feb 1, 2010 - First part of the Homestudy
Feb 4, 2010 - Sent all remaining documents to Gladney
Feb 12, 2010 - Second part of the homestudy... at our house
Feb 18, 2010 - Mailed all remaining/follow-up documents to KBS Dossiers, Gladney, and CIS
Feb 23, 2010 - Citizenship & Immigration fingerprinting appointments
March 10, 2010 - Ethiopian government changes the process and we learn we now will have to make TWO trips to Addis Ababa.
March 19, 2010- FBI Clearances came in the mail - it took 9 weeks!
March 25, 2010 - Offical Gladney Approval and homestudy sent to CIS.
April 14, 2010 - CIS Approval came!!! :)
April 17, 2010 - Finally got a new copy of my employer letter - hopefully notarized the right way this time
April 18, 2010 - Mailed CIS approval, FBI approval, and 2nd employer letter to KBS Dossiers.
April 30, 2010 - WAIT LIST! hooray!
October 14, 2010 - Letter writing party for Both Hands fundraiser
October 24, 2010 - PROJECT DAY for Both Hands!
December 28, 2010 - Learned of delay and started praying for a quick resolution.

April 11, 2011 - Delay resolved... waiting again for referral

April 28, 2011 - Citizenship & Immigration re-fingerprinting appointments

May 13, 2011 - THE CALL! We accepted a referral for an 8 month old baby boy!

June 22, 2011 - Learned about court! MOWA hearing on July 11th, we are to appear on July 21st.

July 11th, 2011 - MOWA hearing, but MOWA did not issue an opinion for us on this day.

July 19, 2011 - Met our little one for the very first time

July 21, 2011 - Court - but still no MOWA letter yet

August 8, 2011 - AMANUEL HAS A FAMILY! We passed court!

Sept 14, 2011 - Amani goes to live with Kirstin in a guest house in Ethiopia! And Riley turns 5 - what a great brother to share his mommy on his birthday

October 2, 2011 - Amani finally arrives in the US, into the arms of his daddy, brother, and sister

THE CASSELLS ARE NOW A FAMILY OF FIVE!

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