9-12-07 I've made some contacts with fellow families thru my agency that also have adopted from Kaz. I was also informed of a yahoo forum singlekazmoms kinda cool! :) Got an "informative sheet" from one mom about what to expect while over in Kaz. Everything from the fact that their hot water is brown and smells (yes thats the only water to use for showers) to the fact that they dont have the white refined sugar we use, and its hard to find coffee so we have to bring our own instant. Very interesting. Women ALL where heels and well dressed. You'll never see them wearing tennis shoes/sneakers and hardly jeans. Alot of coats, hats and boots lined with fur. Its also not appreciated to smile and say hello to a stranger you pass on the street. Oh going to be an experience!

9-7-07 Got official letter in the mail saying Kazakhstan approved my home study. Got 3 copies of actual report/packet that will be used in the dossier and all my original reference letters. In the meantime, I've almost completely finished re-finishing the toybox my grandfather made me... I'll post a pic when it's done ;) Oh, and I bought a stroller :)

8-25-07 The morning after my friend Cathy's wedding, I had to be in Newark at 8 AM to be fingerprinted...yes for the 3rd and final time for the USCIS (United States Citizenship & Immigration Services) this is the fingerprinting they send you for after they receive your I 600A application.(Advanced Processing of Orphan Petition). They put you in this cold dirty "auditorium" that makes you feel like a herd of cattle that was just in "off the boat". All in all, it was quick and I was out of there within 45 min. Just need to wait about a 1 1/2 months for that to come back. I need to have the rest of my paperwork in order to compile my dossier so its all ready to hand over to the state to be apostilled when this approval comes in the mail.

8-22-07 Got my FBI backround check approval in the mail! Yea! Not that I thought there was any devious criminal issues to worry about them finding, but nonetheless a major U.S. step checked off the list.

8-17-07 Got this email today: Hi Jennifer, Just wanted to update you--your adoption HS was approved by our partnersfor Kazakhstan. (That means everything in the home study was all there and they approve the result of it)

8-16-07 Susan and I spent the day at Babies R Us and I created my registry. (I also have one at Target). It was pretty exciting and she got a kick out of making fun of me saying "uh what the heck do you need THAT for" or "how do you use THAT?" or the fact that I wanted everything pink, regardless of it being the most boring of the toys. (Emma doesn't have to enjoy it, it just has to be pretty LOL). Having been around babies most of my life, I really thought I was way more educated then I actually was! haha