Preliminary Approval

Today we found out that we were granted PA!!!! 

     After court, the Judge issues the Preliminary Approval within 1-14 days. We saw that we got our PA on 8/16 (5 days after). Notice of that will be sent to ESWS, which usually takes a few days. The pre-court birth family notices and responses determine who else gets notice of your preliminary approval. It appears that just the birthmother was contacted by the courts before our hearing on 8/11. She will likely receive notice of the preliminary approval too. If a birth family member listed on the website doesn’t receive a notice after preliminary approval we assume it’s because that person responded prior to court that they did not want to receive additional notices. 

  The 14 day cooling off/reconsideration period starts whenever the LAST person (whether it’s the agency or the birthmother) receives notice of preliminary approval (unless you go to a late public posting and then you will have to wait until the 14 day public posting is complete). 

{It’s important to know that there are cases where a birth family member received notices prior to court but then did not receive the preliminary approval notice after court. This results in additional preliminary approval notices being sent out and if those notices aren’t received then your case goes to a late public posting. Typically the judge will send 3 notices before using a public posting and each notice is outstanding for 7 days. Public posting is a 14 day process.}

   At the end of the 14 day period, the court will issue Final Approval (FA). The Judge has to sign off on our case and notify our agency (ESWS). This can take 1 day or up to 1 week. Then we will be offered a few options for our VISA appt at the US Embassy in Seoul and plan our custody trip!! As you can see, we have a little bit more waiting, but it will be here before we know it!!!! 

Progress Report: 
5/25 Our case was submitted for a court hearing
6/2 The court sent notice to the birthmother
6/12 The birthmother replied
7/13 Issued our court date
8/11 Court Date 

8/16 Preliminary Approval

____ Final Approval

____ Custody

____ Visa Appt

Here are a few things we ask for prayer regarding: 

• Final Approval & Judge Sign Off in the next 3 weeks
• World peace and no initiation of war from/with N. Korea 
• Peace and comfort for Mrs. K's heart as she has grown close to him
• Grace for Gideon as he will have a hard time leaving too
• God's sovereignty over our flight times, costs and travel plans 
• Lily as we have never left her for this long and for her to have an understanding heart when we bring home her brother 
• Strength & wisdom for us as we learn to parent a new child with all the challenges of grieving/loss, different language, long flights, and a toddler boy. 

Thank you all for your prayers and support!!! 

Over the last month, you have given $1,665 to help us bring our son home! Wow!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!