Growing the Gilchrists: Blake is now officially a Gilchrist!

We had a whirlwind trip to Utah and are now home. The kids did great with the nine hour drive yesterday and again today, thank you for all the prayers! Blake's court visit was wonderful! The process was more official than we expected, but there were no issues, and Gary even had the judge laughing at one point. We are so grateful to the Lord! Thank you for all the prayers and a special thank you to the friends who let four crazy kiddoes and two tired parents crash with them last night! We have been blessed!

God's Heart for People

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction... (James 1:27)
For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men. (Lam. 3:31-33)
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Rom. 13:10)
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors Him. (Prov. 14:31)

Ethiopia Facts

Bordered by Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia
Slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Population approximately 77 million
Capital Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa population approximately 5 million
Official currency is the Ethiopian birr (~11 birr to 1 dollar)
Amharic is the official language, although more than 80 other local languages are spoken
Primary two religions are Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and Sunni Muslim
Average income approximately $1 per day
Adult literacy rate less than 50%
Median age is 18
Average life expectancy approximately 48 years
More than 1 million people with AIDS
More than 4 million orphans ages 0-17
Children in orphanages are either abandoned due to poverty or orphaned due to AIDS or war

Ethiopia Timeline

What's Next..... (LAST THING TO DO) Change Kayla's citizenship status with Social Security
7/5/2011 - Received Certificate of Citizenship
4/23/2011 - Applied for Certificate of Citizenship
4/13/2011 - Received Kayla's US birth certificate
3/16/2011 - Received US birth certificate notification and sent in application
2/23/2011 - Received Decree Validating Foreign Adoption
2/15/2011 - After much delay, we have submitted Kayla's Colorado re-adoption paperwork to the courts
6/4/2009 - We receive Kayla's passport, visa, medical exam results, and head to the airport to return home.
6/2/2009 - Appointment at US Embassy in Addis Ababa. Kayla is approved for entry to the US on an IR-4 visa.
6/1/2009 - We pick up Kayla from foster care this morning. She is with us from now on!
5/30/2009 - Fly to Ethiopia
4/24/2009 - Received our Embassy appointment date, which determines our travel dates.
4/21/2009 - Ethiopian court approves our adoption of baby Kayla. She is now officially ours! Can't wait to go get her, but we still need an Embassy appointment date.
4/2/2009 - Homestudy update completed and mailed out.
1/30/2009 - Completed homestudy update interviews.
1/17/2009 - Moved to Colorado!
12/11/2008 - Started working on paperwork for Colorado homestudy update.
12/8/2008 - Received our referral!
11/3/2008 - Decided to move with my job to Colorado. Big decision. Huge decision actually.
7/7/2008 - Our dossier ships out to Ethiopia. We are officially on the waiting list for a referral!
7/5/2008 - Received our I-171H (Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petitions) from USCIS
6/24/2008 - Complete dossier sent to Washington DC for authentications.
6/13/2008 - Copies of entire dossier sent to CWA for review.
6/10/2008 - Official homestudy report received! Copy sent to USCIS.
5/21/2008 - Draft copy of homestudy report sent to CWA for review
4/30/2008 - Received certified Dossier Cover Letter and Power of Attorney forms from Secretary of State
4/19/2008 - Homestudy interviews and house inspection completed and passed!
4/5/2008 - Mailed notarized Dossier Cover Letter and Power of Attorney forms to Secretary of State for certification
4/4/2008 - Received call from social worker. The homestudy interviews and home safety inspection are scheduled for the 19th.
3/31/2008 - Completed "Adoption Parenting" book and online exam to satisfy the remaining hours of training required by the Hague Convention
3/24/2008 - Completed and mailed paperwork requirements to homestudy agency - now waiting for phone call from social worker to set up interviews and home inspection
3/22/2008 - Completed "With Eyes Wide Open" online training course
3/8/2008 - Fingerprinting at USCIS for FBI background check
2/21/2008 - LiveScan fingerprinting at Police Dept for Justice Dept background check
2/19/2008 - Mailed I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) to USCIS
2/8/2008 - Started working paperwork for homestudy requirements
2/4/2008 - Accepted for our homestudy
1/25/2008 - Applied to another local agency to do our homestudy
1/24/2008 - Received Gary's passport (really bad picture)
1/22/2008 - Canceled contract with local homestudy agency after they said they would not work with a family that has an infant in the home already
1/21/2008 - Received Jamie's passport (with a good picture of course)
1/19/2008 - Completed NCFA online training course to satisfy 8 of the 10 training hours required by the Hague Convention
1/16/2008 - Signed with local agency for California homestudy
1/04/2008 - Applied for passports
12/30/2007 - Signed up with Christian World Adoption for placement of an Ethiopian girl between the ages of 6 and 18 months
Dec 2007 - Started seriously looking at international adoption agencies

Growing the Gilchrists

Monday, October 15, 2012

Blake is now officially a Gilchrist!

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