At Last!! DOJ Approval

Ladies and Gentlemen - drum roll please!! At long last, after 16 months, Hunter's province has officially approved his dossier clearing the way for his adoption! We are thrilled and stunned, not believing that it finally happened as promised today.

The file next goes to the federal level for approval which we are told may take up to two weeks. Then the file comes back to the province to send to the People's Committee to set the Giving and Receiving Ceremony - when we are invited to Vietnam to complete the adoption. These next steps have taken other families for this province anywhere from 54-94 days so we are anticipating travel mid April to perhaps mid-June. Did I really just type those words?

For so long it was up in the air whether this adoption was going to be completed so we kind of stopped in our tracks with regard to preparation. Didn't complete his room, didn't shop for the requisite gifts for local officials, didn't buy any little boy clothes or toys, didn't read all the attachment books or learn adequate Vietnamese. Let the mad scramble begin!! :) We welcome all insights into older child adoption and adjustment. We know we will need them!

A special thank you to Holt who has really been a zealous advocate on Hung's behalf for the last few months. Abbie in the waiting child program is beyond amazing and we have no doubt that Thoa, the VN coordinator, was instrumental in getting us over the provincial hurdle. Now we anxiously wait for our friends to hear the same news for their children too.

Thank you for propping us up on the days when our faith was weak and we doubted this day would come. It is here! Rejoice with us!
Love, Mary Li, Jim, Marshall and Lily