Our File Was Requested!!!

So SUPER excited to learn last Thursday that ESWS (our Korean adoption agency) has requested our file!!!  WOOOO HOOO!!! I feel as if a 1,000 lb weight has been lifted off my chest,  I can smile, I can  really start to enjoy this journey again!!  There are still many months to go and the need for re-relinquishment by his birth mother....BUT just so darn happy right now : ) 

This is a HUGE step and really gets us into the flow of this whole finalization process.  Our Social Worker informed us on Friday afternoon that she had gone through all of our paperwork and it looked good...so she sent it up to our agency's main office for the final prep : )  Soooo hoping it will then be en route to S. Korea next Tuesday or Wednesday.  Please, please, please turn it around quickly!

Once in S. Korea, there are many more steps to move through so I'll try my best to outline them here with my guesstimates of timing.  Since much of this process is so new yet and we're going to be hitting holidays both US and Korean in the coming months it's really going to be a crap shoot.

1. Paperwork requested & prepped by agencies:  6-8 weeks
2. EP submitted & approved by Ministry:  6-8 weeks   
3. Paperwork transferred from Ministry to Court:  2 days
4. Court schedules and announces your appearance date:   2-3 weeks
5. Appearance date:  5-7 weeks out
6. Preliminary court approval to final approval:  2-3 weeks
7. Travel back to S. Korea, Visa issuance & bring kiddo home:  5-7 days

TOTAL EST TIME:  22 weeks - 30 weeks & 2 days 

Holy moly that means possibly anywhere from Dec - Feb we could be bringing Benjamin home.  But then again you always have to be ready for a S. Korean bombshell that slows things down even more for no good reason.  For my own sanity, I just hope the process keeps moving and bringing us and others waiting good news along the way.  Oh and I HOPE our court appearance is yet this year....that we're able to meet/hold/hug/kiss our little guy before the end of the year : )