Adoption Update

We headed to the orphanage director's place today to drop off the pictures that we took for the paperwork. At least that's what we thought was going to happen. It turns out that she gave us some paperwork and gave it to us to take to the US Embassy to get processed. We did that and got some paperwork to return to the director. We also found out that they do not require the fathers DNA test which will save us some money (yeah!).

So here's the scoop on what we found out:

- Lou's birth mom was 49 years old at the time of his birth (dad was 51)
- We are still not out of MOI after being in there for six months (as of June 19th).
- We have to do DNA testing which will take about a week after we meet the birth parent to do the DNA testing (within a week, Lord willing).
- We have to get the passport and visa - which should take two weeks after we are out of MOI.

Our brains are fried like all the food at the MN State Fair.

I was more impressed by the operations of the orphanage director and the director herself than I was disappointed when we got there. I have to say that after being at her office and seeing what was going on as well as having the "opportunity" to do a little of the legwork by going to the US Embassy ourselves (quite the experience), my opinion of her and her operations grew a bit more positive. Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes - the added goofiness of the paperwork shuffle along with the "anything can happen" environment of Haiti can drive us nuts. The director seems to know what is going on - it's just difficult to move things along faster sometimes (which is hard to say after almost 26 months).

I believe that I will have a great review of the place that will do our DNA testing. I have been working with a lady (Barb) at the testing place and she has been JUST AWESOME thus far. She has great customer service skills and truly makes us feel like they care. More to follow on this part...