Tomorrow is the day! Tomorrow morning, at 7 am Dexter goes in for his immigrant visa interview. It is actually a two-day affair. Tomorrow he drops the paperwork off and then, if all looks okay, he will be asked to return on Wednesday for the official interview. At least, that is what I think is going to happen.
We have been working on this process since March, and nothing about it has been easy. I was feeling pretty good about things today: Kyalo slept for two hours (thanks, baby!) and I was able to organize our mountain of paperwork into something that we can actually present to the Embassy. But Dexter just brought to my attention the fact that maybe we don't have all the forms filled that we need. This is not good at 8:36 PM the night before. The directions don't really make it very clear to me, and at this point, we're just going to have to go with what we have and hope and pray that all goes well.
Please continue to pray for us and especially Dexter as he has to leave here tomorrow morning by 5:30 (ugh). I would be so nervous if I were going in for the interview, and would probably get answers to questions wrong, so pray for peace of mind, clarity of memory (dates are not our strong suite), and honesty of answers.
And of course, pray that he gets it!
I'm ready for this to be over and done with. Plus, we have interviews in the US awaiting.
Thank you.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
a bit of news
Just a quick update, to keep you fully in the loop - and fully praying.
Dexter got his visa interview pushed up to October 4 (that's next Tuesady!). Aaaannnd...he heard from Louisville saying that he will hear by the end of next week if he's going to be invited for an interview.
This is major progress. And major excitement.
And clear evidence, to me, that your prayers are working overtime. So please don't stop.
We can't thank you enough for walking with us in this journey.
Dexter got his visa interview pushed up to October 4 (that's next Tuesady!). Aaaannnd...he heard from Louisville saying that he will hear by the end of next week if he's going to be invited for an interview.
This is major progress. And major excitement.
And clear evidence, to me, that your prayers are working overtime. So please don't stop.
We can't thank you enough for walking with us in this journey.
first food
Kyalo has been an exclusively breastfed baby. No formula, water, or even bottled breast milk to date. My hope and plan had been to go right from breast milk to real food (not purees and such) to something called "Baby Led Weaning." I've been reading the book about it and am intrigued and hopeful that it could work, and could create an adventurous eater. I think it sounds like it could ultimately be easier and more enjoyable for all of us, but it does also sound a bit messier!
But, the best laid plans are often tossed aside. Yesterday it just seemed like he was not interested in eating and lately he's been so distracted (hello, turning pages of a book), and so I dug out the rice cereal that my mom brought with her in April and gave it a try.
It was actually more fun than I would have imagined giving him some real food. He quickly took over the process, as you'll see in the photos. But letting him do it is all a part of BLW. Now, if only I had thought to strip him down to his diaper, or at least...at least had put a bib on him! Geesh. One of these days I'll get my act together.
But, the best laid plans are often tossed aside. Yesterday it just seemed like he was not interested in eating and lately he's been so distracted (hello, turning pages of a book), and so I dug out the rice cereal that my mom brought with her in April and gave it a try.
It was actually more fun than I would have imagined giving him some real food. He quickly took over the process, as you'll see in the photos. But letting him do it is all a part of BLW. Now, if only I had thought to strip him down to his diaper, or at least...at least had put a bib on him! Geesh. One of these days I'll get my act together.
(check out Dexter's face in the middle photo-he's a little excited)
Overall, it was a good experience...
thinking about it...
no thank you
So, I wouldn't say he's begging for more. I think I might give him one bowful a day between now and next week. On Monday he turns six months (!!!!) and we can start things in earnest (after I've been to the grocery store. This week things are a little thin).
After that fun experience, it was into the bath to get cleaned up. Into the kitchen sink he went (yes, really).
the boy loves his bath!
it is always nice to relax in the tub with a good book
chomp chomp
He has this cute little nose crinkle thing he's working on. It could just be because he's got a cold and he's a bit stuffy. But I love it.
C'mon, don't you think it is precious? Or is it just me?
And lastly, Kyalo would like to tell you that it is not a good idea to drink the bath water. (He got to it before we could stop him). Because it could result in this:
poor guy
It was a big evening for the little guy!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
overwhelmed yet hopeful
Things seem to be coming together for the green card application and process. Forms are (mostly) filled out, documents gathered, copies made, etc. I'm trying to go over board with what we provide them, figuring we can't have too much information to prove our relationship and its history. We have an appointment scheduled for the visa for October 31st. This is a start, but obviously it means we would miss the interviews for UMDNJ on the 17th & 18th. And, Buffalo needs to know by the 31st if he'll be coming for the interview and clinical exam, and an exam fee needs to be paid by the 31st, so...that'd be cutting it very very close.
We're going to try to get an expedited visa appointment. Ideally, this would be for sometime next week. Before we can do that, though, they need to fix the error in our surname. The woman who scheduled the appointment yesterday wrote his name as MulanBi. Small detail. Nothing is ever easy, is it?
Even though we're still wading through this, after several conversations with friends and family who've gone through this process as well as talking to someone in the Embassy, I feel much better. Filling out all this paperwork makes me feel...dumb. I mean seriously, the forms are so complicated and confusing. English is my first language, and the forms and their directions still lose me! I can't imagine what it must be like to do this if English is your third or fourth language!
I will be glad when this whole process is over, and I can file away all this paperwork, and take a break...before moving on to things like finding scholarships and financial aid for school. Whew.
Thank you for your prayers! They are working! And pray with us now that we can get the appointment earlier, and that all the documents are in good order.
We'll keep you posted.
We're going to try to get an expedited visa appointment. Ideally, this would be for sometime next week. Before we can do that, though, they need to fix the error in our surname. The woman who scheduled the appointment yesterday wrote his name as MulanBi. Small detail. Nothing is ever easy, is it?
Even though we're still wading through this, after several conversations with friends and family who've gone through this process as well as talking to someone in the Embassy, I feel much better. Filling out all this paperwork makes me feel...dumb. I mean seriously, the forms are so complicated and confusing. English is my first language, and the forms and their directions still lose me! I can't imagine what it must be like to do this if English is your third or fourth language!
I will be glad when this whole process is over, and I can file away all this paperwork, and take a break...before moving on to things like finding scholarships and financial aid for school. Whew.
Thank you for your prayers! They are working! And pray with us now that we can get the appointment earlier, and that all the documents are in good order.
We'll keep you posted.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
little helper
It is nice to have a little buddy around to help with various household chores. Kyalo's usually in the kitchen with me as I'm making lunch, dinner, or cookies, and I carry him around the house as I pick up. I like to consider this his way of helping. And some day he'll be doing some of these things on his own. But my favorite is to take him outside in the stroller or his little chair as I hang or take down laundry. This week, I was too lazy to put him in the stroller, so I just threw him in the laundry basket. He seemed to enjoy it. In fact, I think he prefers to be outside most of all. Whenever we go outside he calms right down. Thankfully the warm days are coming to Kijabe, so I don't mind obliging him.
enjoying the wind in his hair
I love this little smirk. I'm sorry he's in the shadows a bit -- I didn't realize
He's beginning to teethe which has made him a little cranky the past few days. I'll be glad when a tooth or two pops through the gums and the pain subsides! I'll miss his toothless smiles, but progress had to come. . . He's our happy, lovable guy and we love him even when he's a little cranky!
Friday, September 23, 2011
another life update
I've mentioned before that we've been mired in paperwork...for Kyalo's birth certificate and then passport, school applications for Dexter, Green Card application for Dexter, and so on. It feels unending...but, I do think we're beginning to see the light at the end of a very long tunnel.
We have applied to five schools and two of them have responded in the last few days inviting Dexter to an in-person interview as well as clinical test of his dental skills. This is very exciting, and we would like you to rejoice with us! (We never got this far in our previous application process, so it is very encouraging for us).
But, there's still a LOT of uncertainty and a lot to do. The first set of interviews, at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (in Newark), is October 17 &18, and the second set, at SUNY-Buffalo is in November.
Here's the rub. We don't have the green card or any visa for Dexter to actually travel to the US. Oh, and he's supposed to let UMDNJ know TODAY if he's coming to the interview! Yikes. We're almost done with the gathering of documents for the application and then can schedule an appointment. Will you please pray with us that Dexter can get an appointment at the US Embassy very quickly (next week?) and that he can get to these interviews. After all the effort we've put into the school process it would be a shame to be unable to continue because of a visa issue.
So. Schools in 2012. We have a greater glimmer of hope and that's exciting. UMDNJ starts in March and Buffalo starts in June. Selfishly, I prefer Buffalo because of the later start date. I love Kijabe and still feel like we're getting settled back into things here. Leaving once again will be very hard. BUT. I know that leaving for Dexter to go to school is absolutely, without a doubt the right thing to do. And, I know that God will take us to the right school for us, no matter what the start date. Knowing those things doesn't make the possibility of leaving any easier though.
Here are the things we'd like you to pray for, if you don't mind me asking...for an expedited appointment date at the embassy and quick approval of the green card. For acceptance into one of the five dental schools. For wise financial choices in the coming weeks and months. For clarity of mind as we have a lot of decisions to make in the next few days and weeks. And for peace about whatever happens.
Thank you!
Here's a photo of Dexter and Kyalo as a reward for getting through this long-winded post. It is the best of the bunch from that day...Kyalo's recently discovered how fun it is to pull hair, and most of the pictures Dexter looks rather tortured. :)
We have applied to five schools and two of them have responded in the last few days inviting Dexter to an in-person interview as well as clinical test of his dental skills. This is very exciting, and we would like you to rejoice with us! (We never got this far in our previous application process, so it is very encouraging for us).
But, there's still a LOT of uncertainty and a lot to do. The first set of interviews, at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (in Newark), is October 17 &18, and the second set, at SUNY-Buffalo is in November.
Here's the rub. We don't have the green card or any visa for Dexter to actually travel to the US. Oh, and he's supposed to let UMDNJ know TODAY if he's coming to the interview! Yikes. We're almost done with the gathering of documents for the application and then can schedule an appointment. Will you please pray with us that Dexter can get an appointment at the US Embassy very quickly (next week?) and that he can get to these interviews. After all the effort we've put into the school process it would be a shame to be unable to continue because of a visa issue.
So. Schools in 2012. We have a greater glimmer of hope and that's exciting. UMDNJ starts in March and Buffalo starts in June. Selfishly, I prefer Buffalo because of the later start date. I love Kijabe and still feel like we're getting settled back into things here. Leaving once again will be very hard. BUT. I know that leaving for Dexter to go to school is absolutely, without a doubt the right thing to do. And, I know that God will take us to the right school for us, no matter what the start date. Knowing those things doesn't make the possibility of leaving any easier though.
Here are the things we'd like you to pray for, if you don't mind me asking...for an expedited appointment date at the embassy and quick approval of the green card. For acceptance into one of the five dental schools. For wise financial choices in the coming weeks and months. For clarity of mind as we have a lot of decisions to make in the next few days and weeks. And for peace about whatever happens.
Thank you!
Here's a photo of Dexter and Kyalo as a reward for getting through this long-winded post. It is the best of the bunch from that day...Kyalo's recently discovered how fun it is to pull hair, and most of the pictures Dexter looks rather tortured. :)
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
found photos
Just a quick update...I found these pictures in my camera that I completely forgot about. They're too sweet not to share. The last photos from our time in the US!
{happy}
{curious}
{love}
And this is proof that Kyalo got a bath or two while we were home. Love his expression in the last photo with Grandma. So much love!
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