An Extra Leaf: Fossil Handbag

New with tags. Fossil handbag measures about 7" by 9". Perfect for tucking away just a few essentials.

Adoption Timeline ~ ~ 2010

April - Phillip and Charrissa "accidentally" stumble across Reeces Rainbow website and are impacted

April - Praying God would supply provision - very next few days started to see tangible answers to that prayer

May 7 - Called and scheduled Homestudy for May 26

May 13 - Started adoption blog (hopeful) and wrote poem, "An Extra Leaf"

May 17 - Scheduled physicals and lab draws (May 31; June 5)
~ also ordered Birth certificates for Phillip and Charrissa

May 20 - Birth Certificates Arrive! Wow! ~ ~ ~ We also send Andrea @ RR an email stating our commitment to Ivanna and Matthew ~ ~ ~

May 22 - Notarized RR Disclosure and fax to RR

May 23 - Started filling out Homestudy paperwork - A LOT

May 24 - Sent off two checks to RR. One for committing and another for a love offering for the running of the ministry

May 26 - Met with social worker for first of two meetings and the beginning of our homestudy. Looks like we may be approved for three children!

June 4 - Lu finishes designing blog - Beautiful!!!

June 5 - Notarized CSP and four out of five POA's.

June 7 - Mailed CSP and POA's for apostilling. Ordered 3 Marriage Certificates.

June 10 - Received marriage certificates ... that was FAST!

June 11 - Passport Application and lab draws
~ also find out that there is NOT a notary at dr. office - so we reschedule to June 21 with a different dr. for medicals

June 14 - Completed 1.5 hours of 12 hours of online coursework for homestudy requirements. Also mailed CSP and four POA's to Eastern Europe!!!!

June 17 - Completed an add'l 4.5 hours of online courses

June 21 - Completed medical exam required for both the Dossier process and Homestudy process!

June 21 - Finished 2 add'l hours of online courses. FOUR more hours left...

June 23 - Finished LAST four hours of online courses!!! YAY!

June 28 - Scheduled LAST HS visit for July 9th.

July 3 - Charrissa receives passport!

July 7 - Phillip receives his passport!

July 9 - Homestudy is complete. Now just waiting for draft.

August 13 - Received final, notarized copy of Home study.

August 14 - Sent home study along with I-600A application to USCIS - a big whopping $830 check also went along for the ride. WOOOHOOO! Praying for FAST approval

August 18 ~ received 13 apostilled documents and will put those away for dossier.

August 18 ~ only have FIVE more documents to finish for dossier requirements!

August 19th ~ received email and text confirmation from USCIS that our I-600A was received via lockbox. praying for that approval!

August 20th ~ Receive I-797C receipt (I-600a application receipt, same as text/email)

August 26th ~ Receive Biometrics Appointment (fingerprinting) for September 21st. Sent email, hoping for expedite.
~~~~Also, we only have 3 more documents to finish for dossier (including our pending I-171H from USCIS)

August 30th ~ FINGERPRINTING IS DONE! Called USCIS to let them know. They said to call back in a week, as a case worker has not yet been assigned. Hmmm... I'll give 'em till Friday! ;)

September 2nd ~ Received letter from Senator Patty Murray explaining that she is more than happy to help look into our I-600A application process

September 3rd ~ Awoke to an email from our immigration officer ~~ WE ARE APPROVED! OUR I-600A IS APPROVED!Now we just await the I-171H in the mail. We now are FINISHED WITH THE DOSSIER! We will notarize two documents tomorrow and set out to apostille the dossier next week, with a goal to send it out late next week out of COUNTRY! YAY! PRAISE THE LORD!

September 5th ~ We decide to add a third child to our adoption. A "blind referral" in the same orphanage. A new CSP and Petition to Adopt is being prepared for notarization and apostille to send with Dossier.

September 10th ~ Received I-171H in the mail!!!! Now we notarize, apostille and prepare to mail the dossier to E.E.

September 13th ~ Finished notarizing and apostilling Dossier! ******DOSSIER IS DONE AND READY TO MAIL****

September 16th ~ DOSSIER EN ROUTE TO E.E.

September 20th ~ Dossier is delivered to E.E.

September 30th ~ Dossier is submitted to SDA for approval, and now we are awaiting a travel date....

October 19th ~ We received our travel date: October 28th!!!

October 26th ~ Left for E.E.

October 28th ~ Given two referrals - one for Matthew and one for Ivanna

November 1st ~ travel two hours to region, and met Matthew and Ivanna and said YES to adopting them. Started the paperwork for court. Court is scheduled already for November 11th because our Interpol is ALREADY CLEARED! WHOOOHOOOOOO!

November 10th ~ Courtdate ~ we are approved by the courts to adopt Matthew and Ivanna; Introducing Matthew Maxim Browning and Ivanna Marie Browning. Now we wait ten days for the court decree per law.

November 20th ~ Ten days is technically over, but must wait till next business day (Tuesday) to do any paperwork

November 23rd ~ Got new birth certificates for both children and applied for new passports. Now we wait four days (business) to get new passports and take them out of orphanage FOREVER! Getting soooo close....

November 29th ~ Gotcha Day! The day they are out of that orphanage foever!

November 30th ~ First embassy appointment for visas. Both children are given physicals by a doctor.

December 1st ~ Interview by embassy. Visas granted!

December 2nd ~ Matthew and Ivanna are HOME in the USA!

An Extra Leaf

Amongst the fields of lush green lies something beautiful but mostly unseen

Many will walk by

Not caring for the rare treasure

Their eyes focused on the fields of great measure

But for the one who stops and looks

A special plant they do see

A tiny clover with four leaves; not the typical three

An extra measure of blessings some think

A prize

A rarity

Tucked in your pocket it may bring great prosperity

Not designed like the rest

Not better

Not worse

Just a plant with an extra leaf

Created in part; to help us with the very simple belief

That treasures are not always what we think

Sometimes they require an extra look

Almost lost in a wink

To see the gift that we may miss

That extra leaf that brings with it . . .

. . . a beautiful bliss.

Written by Charrissa Browning

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Fossil Handbag

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Matthew Maxim Browning

Ivanna Marie Browning

Matthew & Ivanna

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