Deadlines and our last 1-171H update

Our I-171H expires on April 9, 2009. The official name of this US Citizenship and Immigration Service document issued by the US Department of Homeland Security is Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Application For Advance Processing of Orphan Petition. If this document were to expire we would lose our grandgathered status and have to do more extensive background checks. Specifically, we would have to get checks for every address we have lived since the age of 18 for more than 6 months. This process is further complicated by the fact you (adoptive parent) are advised to not renew too early as you risk an additional expiration date. So in February when I asked our international agency if I should start requesting renewal documents I thought I was being proactive. Turns out I was not as our paperwork was just turned in last Friday. Today, Tuesday April 7,2009, we received a receipt from the US Dept of Justice for the $830.00 fee required to process renewal paperwork. So we got our paperwork in 2 days before it expired. YIKES.

Part of our renewal paperwork required an in-home interview with our social worker which we scheduled for Wednesday, March 25,2009. Cherie, our social worker, probably was here 45 minutes total. Anyhow she was impressed with the changes in the garden since her initial homestudy interviews in 2006.

This first picture was taken in Spring 2006 right before the backyard clearing began. This was also about the time of our 1st homestudy interview. Cherie also taught the first adoption classes we took in September 2005. She is the person we have worked with the longest through our adoption and unfortunately her agency is closing and she has no employment plans as of now. Our new HS agency is Adoption Connection.

Update: Starting in August 2009 Cherie will be employed at Adoption Connection and once again assigned to our adoption case!

The next couple of pictures show mid progress replacing the fence and tiering the garden. I love this picture of John and Lucy!

The next picture shows what our garden looks like now.

During our 2nd homestudy interview we also took Cherie throught the first floor apartment, something she had not seen on the initial homestudy. She likes old homes so I think it was kinda entertaining.

The room with the fireplace will eventually be our library when we "take over the whole house". Right now we don't need the space and the extra income is nice. This apartment's kitchen (room with 3 glass doors and red floor) will be eventually become a 3rd bedroom. This is another picture from the 1st floor kitchen. The tenants who lived here when this picture was taken were an interesting couple. She worked for Warner Brothers (music promotion manager) and he played bass and was from Sweden. The ballroom dancing photos are of his father who was still competitively dancing while they we our tenants. They only stayed a year but I thought they were fascinating. This room is now the 1st floor apartment bedroom but someday will become an office. We are thinking we will buy a big partner desk and put it in the middle of this room.

The last picture is of Lucy in the garden with William. William had allergies when he was born and is the reason at age 10 Lucy moved in with us.