Saturday, January 19, 2013

Hugo is coming home!

This week has been a whirlwind.    We started it off with getting an email from USCIS that our petition to make Hugo our immediate relative was approved.  After only 6 days.  Which was shocking and something we never expected.  Record time.  

This lead Rob and I to decide to start getting prepared.  Carpets cleaned.  Child Proofing.  The things we put off because they are not very fun.    I made lists of 30 things I wanted to get done and set out Wednesday to get the ball rolling.  Rob asked me to meet him for lunch and as we sat down to get a table, I got an email from USCIS with our VISA appointment.   I saw the title and said to Rob, "Oh good!  Hopefully this is set soon."  I should mention by soon I was thinking like 2 weeks out.  3 weeks.   Well this is what it said. 

We are pleased to inform you that the I-604 process is complete, and Huguenson V Etchepave may now be scheduled for the final visa interview with the Department of State.  The visa interview is scheduled for January 22nd, 2012 at 12:00 pm at the Consular Section.

To say that we panicked a bit is kind of an understatement.  We immediately emailed our agency to see if this was even possible.  That gave us 5 business days.  Actually 4.  We didn't know if this gave the orphanage enough time to do what they needed to with Hugo's medical reports.  Since we have never done this before, there is a lot we just don't know.  

So after about 24 hours of panicking, and the awesome work of our agency, the director of Maison and the adoption coordinator there, Hugo had seen the doctor and we were told that they would have his medical report done Monday.   So Rob and I booked our flights and we are headed out Monday night to get Hugo!

We are so excited!  Adriana is going to stay with family in Cheyenne, the dog sitter is set and we are ready.  Kind of.  Ready in the sense that we are doing this.  And funny how unprepared you feel after waiting for 2 and a half years when the time comes for this all to be complete.  

We are all excited for this adoption adventure to come to an end.  And ready for our new family journey to begin.  It is exciting and scary.  Especially when you are a 5 year old that has been the only child.   No amount of talking and re assuring can prepare her for this.  But she is being a rock star and really excited to meet her brother.   We also know that this will be a very confusing and scary time for Hugo.  We are hoping that our trips to be with him will help him feel comfort from Rob and I as he enters this big, new world for him.   We know that Hugo will be the most effected by all this, and just hope with lot of  love, time and reassurance, we can make him feel secure and loved.  

There are no words in the world to describe the love we feel for him or how blessed Rob and I feel in this moment.  We have been given 2 of the most amazing children and know that we are the lucky ones in all of this.  Our cup runneth over.