Another Letter From Olga

I'm starting to feel like a little kid at Christmas!  We received another letter from Olga today.  While I have decided to not scan and post this one because it is more personal in nature I will tell you a few things about it.  This one was actually quite long and full of love and humor.  She is very much enjoying her new class and her room and mentioned that she hopes we will like them, too.  That is her first acknowledgment to us that she knows we are coming for her!  She sends a big "Hello" to her American friends and listed several of hers that say hi to us as well.  She is trying very hard in school, but doesn't always understand what the teacher is saying.  I'm going to assume she meant in her English class, but I honestly don't know how the system works over there.  She is excited for winter so she can see us, especially her "dear" brother and sister.  She ended the letter with a joke: that she loves us more than bread with butter!  Actually, I hope she's not joking about that because that child loves bread with butter!

The timing of the receipt of that letter couldn't have been any better.  I had just gotten off the phone with the FBI and needed a pick-me-upper!  I had called the FBI office about our fingerprint clearances which we need to complete our home study which we need to send to the USCIS which we need to get our biometrics fingerprints appointment which we need to get our I71H approval letter which we need for our dossier!  When I spoke to the FBI last, on October 2, they told me that they didn't have us in the system and our request probably hadn't even been opened yet.  Then they proceeded to tell me that it could take 10-12 weeks from the time it was in their system to process.  I called again today hoping and praying that they have at least received our request.  Their response has led me to believe that the first person I spoke to didn't want to be bothered and didn't even look us up.  Our request was received on August 25!  Of course, it can still take a total of 12 weeks to process, but at the very least I know that as of tomorrow, October 20, they will have been working on it for 8 weeks.  Twelve weeks out will be November 10.  I would be happy to split the difference and have it back by October 30!

We are planning to have a garage sale this weekend to raise money for adoption expenses.  You need to understand that I despise organizing garage sales, therefore never have them.  I mentioned to my sister that I was thinking about having one despite my loathing for them and she and my brother-in-law graciously donated several very good items for our cause!

Here are a few things we would like to ask for help with:

• Pray that the FBI finishes up with our clearances quickly!
• Consider ordering a Christmas Tree or Wreath from our Dutchman Tree Farms Fundraiser.  Simply click on the link, select "yes" for New Horizons for Children, select my name, Susan Langvin Pirkey, from the drop down list and follow the website instructions from there:

Dutchman Tree Farms Fundraiser

• Re-post my blog to your Facebook page! 
• Donate if you can!  We do not owe NHFC very much money at this point between donations and monies we have already paid so we are no longer asking that donations be made the the Active Giving account.  If you would like to donate directly to help us offset the adoption costs, please use the following link, or click on the yellow "Donate" button just to the upper right corner of this blog entry.  Follow the directions from there!

Donate using PayPal

I can't say it enough: THANK YOU ALL so much for your support!

S~