The Cook Commentary: Sam's Ribbons

"Mommy! Look at my big ribbons!!"

That's his ribs, in case you don't follow Sam-speak.

Funniest. Kid. Ever.

Ethiopian Adoption Timeline

May 18, 2008 - made the decision to adopt

May 28, 2008 - sent docs to Adoption Assistance for home study

June 26, 2008 - decided Baby Cook would be coming from ETHIOPIA & mailed our application to adoption agency

July 1, 2008 - 1st home study appointment & adoption physicals

July 15, 2008 - biometric fingerprints

July 22, 2008 - 2nd home study appointment

September 2, 2008 - filed our I-600A

September 11, 2008 - day trip to Frankfort to get our dossier authenticated

October 2, 2008 - changed agencies, turned in application to Arise for Children

October 23, 2008 - I-171 approval

October 28, 2008 - our dossier has finally arrived in Ethiopia!!

November 11, 2008 - received a matching grant from Lifesong

December 1, 2008 - MATCHED! with not only one...but TWO little boys!

December 17, 2008 - received a 2ND matching grant through LOCI!!

January 10, 2009 - received our corrected I-171 (changed to account for Charlie's age)

January 17, 2009 - 10 hours of pre-adoption training completed

February 10, 2009 - court is scheduled for 2/25 for the boys!!

February 25, 2009 - had our 1st and only court date, we didn't pass, but no one knew why...

March 31, 2009 - get an email that they "think" our case has been rescheduled for court

April 14, 2009 - found out the boys file is now considered an "open case" & we will not receive a new court date...

The weeks & months drag on...

June 10, 2009 - finally found out what the hold up in court was all about...and it wasn't good news!

July 1, 2009 - GOT THE CALL!! The boys cases had finally been approved...we passed court!

July 27, 2008 - Received our travel dates & Embassy date for 8/26

August 5, 2008 - plane tickets are officially booked & vaccinations received from UofL Travel Clinic

August 22, 2009 - hopped on a plane headed to Ethiopia...

August 24, 2009 - GOTCHA DAY!

August 25, 2009 - Embassy Appointment

August 29, 2009 - Home to USA!

China Adoption Timeline

August 2011 - decided to adopt again, told the boys, sent some preliminary docs to AIAA for South Korea

November 2011 - told our family and friends we were "expecting" again...

Winter 2011/Spring 2012 - patiently waited while things in South Korea continued to slow down and came to an almost creeping halt

May 2012 - Convinced God may have other plans about where our sweet EK was, I was doing research on other countries and agencies. When I was told yet again to wait, we made a decision to switch...

June 2012 - sent application to Lifeline Children's Services for their Special Needs China program

July 2012- 1st home study appointment to update

August 2012 - 2nd home study appointment

September 2012 - LOTS of adoption training...

October 10, 2012 - I800A application

November 14, 2012 - biometrics fingerprints

November 21, 2012 - Dossier sent to Lifeline

November 30, 2012 - I800A approval

December 21, 2012 - DTC (Dossier to China)

January 14, 2013 - LID (Logged-in Date)

February 26, 2013 - REFERRAL DAY!!! We saw EK's face for the first time!

March 3, 2013 - Pre-Approval

April 12, 2013 - LOA on Day 40 (Letter of Acceptance)

April 16, 2013 - filed I800 & sent passports to Chicago for Chinese Visas

April 30, 2013 - received preliminary approval for I800

May 1, 2013 - received Chinese visas

May 7, 2013 - letter cabled to the consulate in China

May 23, 2013 - final update on EK!

May 24, 2013 - Article 5 pick-up

June 17, 2013 - TRAVEL APPROVAL!!

June 18, 2013 - received Consulate Appointment of July 1st!! Which meant we were leaving for China in 2 days!!

June 21, 2013 - leave for China!

June 24, 2013 - GOTCHA DAY!!

July 1, 2013 - Consulate Appointment

July 4, 2013 - Arrive back in the USA with the newest American citizen!!

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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Sam's Ribbons

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