We are getting so close to bringing our children home! We've updated our home study, completed all of our paperwork for our dossier, and we are just waiting to hear back from USCIS for approval before we turn everything into Ukraine. That will take about two months, then 2-3 months (fingers crossed) for the papers in Ukraine, and we should be on our way! We are hoping that happens early next year.

We had a wonderful visit this summer with both children, and truly enjoyed the two months we had to get to know them better and continue to bond. Paperwork has continued all summer, but there were some major hiccups (which ended up being blessings in disguise.) Those hiccups caused some delay, but also prevented a much bigger one in the end. Since paperwork won't be submitted as early as planned, and because we found that our children were going to be hosted by a different organization, we have decided to bring them for one last hosting trip at Christmas. We are looking forward to spending an extra month with them before the end and our first Christmas together as a familly.

 Because of the added expense,we find ourselves backsliding a bit on our previous goal. Our hosting fees will be $5,300, and I'll need to fly out from Utah to Washington D.C. to pick them up, which makes a total of 4 round trip tickets at Christmastime (and tickets are usually bought last minute). Before this, we had miraculously made it to just $5,500 below our goal of what we would need to travel to Ukraine to finalize. With hosting and the travel that entails, that puts us closer to $13,000. I feel like I've exhausted a lot of my fundraising avenues--that's a whole lot of cinnamon rolls!--and so far, we have been turned down for all of the grants we've applied to. We're pressing forward and looking for other avenues, but if by chance, you would like to donate, we would be so appreciative. I know that seems like a huge number, but as always, any amount helps us get closer. We've made it so far, and I know somehow we'll get the rest of the way!

Many of you have donated and purchased items that have helped us get here, and for that, we are eternally grateful. We look forward to the day that we are all home together!