Hi Family and Friends. I just wanted to check in and give everyone a quick update as to where we are in the adoption process. We recently received our United States Customs and Immigration I-800 Approval, so that is another big check mark checked off on our to do list! Now we are in the process of working on our visa application for Kenny. It is a fairly complicated process as the original has to be hand delivered to the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. We have to fill out some paperwork which we will get done today and then mail it off to our agency, who mails it to a Kenyan lawyer. After that happens, we will receive our Article 5 which pretty much means he can enter into the US....so that is a big step! Once we get the article 5, we are also then assigned a court date in Burundi. We do not have to appear for the court date, but the Burundian lawyer that works with our agency will go to that. After the court date, there is a 30 date waiting period, some more paperwork, and then hopefully we will be able to travel. It is hard to put an exact timeline on everything, but things are progressing. We are hopeful that we can travel in April or May...obviously the earlier the better.
We have not had any direct communication with Kenny. To be honest, I don't even know if he knows about us yet! I've heard they wait until travel dates are more imminent to tell the kids. We do know he is going to Bujumbura International Montessori School in the capital of Burundi. They teach in English, so we are hopeful he is learning some English to make the transition home a bit easier. There are multiple other families that have been travelling and picking up their kiddos which is neat to see. We are a part of a Burundi Adoption Facebook group and recently learned there is a family just a little bit ahead of us in the process that is also bringing home a 5 year old boy from the same orphanage and they live about ten minutes from us! So that will be really neat for Kenny to have a familiar face so close by.
Skylar, Colton, and Emory are very excited to bring Kenny home. They talk about it a lot, and they often pray for his safety, health, and his quick arrival! I know these last few months will fly by in many ways....but it is definitely harder to wait when you have a sweet little face and name to put with your little one. Before we were matched with Kenny, it was more just an idea on the back burner as we stayed busy with the everyday activities that come along with have three kids. Now that we're matched, we are ready to bring Kenny home!! We do have a few pictures of him, but we are not supposed to post of social media. If you'd like to see one, feel free to shoot me a message.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support!
Love,
The Bauchers
www.adopttogether.org/baucherfamily
