10-3-07 Ok, I was supposed to have this CIS approval back in 2 months from the day my homestudy was sent in (Aug 1st). Still nothing. They give you this phone number to check on the status of your application but they ask you to punch in your 10 digit account number in the upper left corner of your receipt but I have 6 digits in the upper right corner. So NOW WHAT? Of course you can't get a human either. Just a "sorry, you've entered an invalid #" Guess I have to wait. Had to track down my Dr. (since he left the office I used to see him in). Fortunately for ME....I originally met him when he hired me to videotape his daughter's BarMitzvah last year...so I had his home info! He already filled out the medical forms I needed for the homestudy and had agreed to fill out the one I'd need "in the future". Well that time is NOW and he's left the office. After sending him a pleading letter to his home, he called and said it would be no problem! Yea! Phew.

9-15-07 Minor heart attack! I just got a letter that my agency's corporate President has resigned. As of October 1, 2007, the agency's name will be changed to "Child Promise". I was worried that THIS would be a problem since ALL my homestudy approvals have Reaching Out's name on them, but after a frantic phone call I was assured that the new license will be in conjunction with the old one. They will be "formerly Reaching Out" and maintain their active license, I guess until everything changes over.This is not supposed to effect me in any way. Phew!

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)