How about Molly?

Alex thinks it would be a good idea for Malia's nickname to be Molly since it's also one of his favorite train's name from Thomas the Train. :o) His previous nickname for Malia was Cheerios.

San Antonio Mailer is out the door

The document gathering process is a long a tedious one. It's a long train of certification in which starting one task depends upon finishing another.

Our Mailer #1 is already in to Great Wall. Mailer #2 is being prepared as we speak. In between those two is a separate mailer to the Department of Homeland Security branch office in San Antonio. We just mailed it in last night.

The San Antonio Mailer requires a number of documents (birth & marriage certs, for example) from Mailer #2, plus a final copy of our home study. After weeks of waiting, we finally got it.

Now we wait. After 30-90 days, we will likely be approved by DHS to continue. The approval itself is a requirement for Mailer #2 to Great Wall (it's always a train), which will be ready to be mailed by the time we are approved. Also, at some point before DHS approval we will have to travel to San Antonio for fingerprinting.

Long story short, the document gathering process is nearing an end. Woohoo! One more Mailer to go, and then the "Long March" to Malia can begin. :)

Home Study Approved

Here's an email we just got from our adoption social worker. We are another step closer to getting Malia. :-)

OK, the homestudy has been approved. I've given a copy to Great Wall and your copies were dropped in the mail yesterday. Good luck, guys! Keep me updated on how things are going!

Thanks

Amy

Thomas the Train

Malia - when you get here, I'll teach you all about trains. Here I am riding on Thomas the Train. First, make sure Gem'a is holding you so you don't fall out of the window when you are looking around. I am now an official Junior Engineer! Love, Alex