UPDATE: We are CLEARED!!!!

After I found out that we had to provide more information to the state something changed within me. Deep down, I started to wonder if we would be approved to adopt Annalise at the state level. I wondered if we would ever get ICPC clearance. After all, they had already gone out of the norm by asking us for a child-specific homestudy and that required an addendum and more documentation on our part. Fear had started to creep in and I did everything I could to keep it at bay.

But I carried a tiny piece of fear with me. And that fear haunted me at night, when the house was quiet and everyone else was sleeping.

Today, ALL of that fear is finally GONE. I refreshed my email at 5:15pm just as I was sitting down from an afternoon of doing the seasonal closet switcheroo. And I saw it! There was an email from our socialworker with the local agency telling us that she got a notice that we got approval today.

Of course it was after business hours when I read this glorious email. So I immediately called Brandon and told him the news. And we both started dialing every number we had for either of the agencies and their respective socialworkers. We both left several voicemails, just in case.

We are hoping to find out tomorrow when we can travel and take placement of our newest princess. And maybe, just maybe, once we know when she is coming home, we can rescue our appointment for next Thursday in Philly!

We appreciate each prayer that has been said on our behalf during this process. I can never thank everyone enough for the prayers..

Just last night, I walked into church with slightly swollen eyes and one heck of a makeup job to cover my splotchy face. I had been crying but had to attend a meeting and other obligations. I pasted a nice fake smile on my face hoping no one would notice.

It was so incredible, that several of our new friends asked if we knew anything about Annalise's homecoming yet. Almost every time I turned around someone else was asking. I blinked back tears and told them no, that we didn't know anything more. I told them that I had already cried that day and that it was a really hard day for me. And each one told me that they would continue to pray. Your caring and attention to the details of our lives has not gone unnoticed. We are humbled that you care about even the tiniest details.

Thank you so very, very much.

~Steph