Officially "Waiting"

Well we received word on Thursday (1/11/07) from CHSFS that our dossier has been approved and we are officially "waiting for a referral." What this means is that clock has started ticking. Wait time for an infant boy is currently running 0-4 months. After we get our referral and accept we have to wait for an appointment date at the embassy in Addis Ababa. Travel time from when we accept our referral to when we actually leave can be up to 12 weeks. So let's do the math: we could get our referral anytime between now and May. Let's assume May, we could then expect to leave for Addis sometime between late June-August.

That's in a perfect world where dates don't change, the courts don't close in late July and world events don't play a factor (F.Y.I. Ethiopia and Somalia are not getting a long currently. So far this has not had an affect on international adoption, but we are keeping up-to-date with everything that is happening just in case.)

Since this isn't a perfect world, we don't really have a clue for sure about anything. So that is the long answer to the question we have already been getting "So when will you leave to get your new son?" The short answer we have been giving is a blank stare and a shrug of the shoulders. Now you know why.

Selam.