Road Trip for Noma (Day 0 / Tuesday, 01 November, 2016)

This is a series of blog entries detailing our trip to pick up Noma from Johannesburg.  For anyone who is not aware, Noma Anele Ruth Peterson is our adopted daughter and we are leaving tomorrow to drive across South Africa (Cape Town to Joburg, 1400 km or 870 miles) to meet her for the first time!!!!!!

Noma @ 10 months

Here are some of the facts that you might like to know.

Our timeline:
We started the adoption process in August 2014.  Unfortunately, the process was halted due to the sabbatical from July to Dec 2015.  The process was restarted in June 2016.  After 3 months of intense paperwork, psych evals, stalking government officials and meetings, we were declared "paper pregnant" on 08 September 2016.  And the waiting began ...  On 18 October 2016, we received the referral.  We poured and prayed over the documents and officially agreed to adopt Noma on 19 October 2016 (our "gotcha" day).  Our application for temporary foster care was approved on 25 October 2016 (although we were not informed until 31 October 2016).  We are scheduled to meet her on Friday, 4 November 2016 at 3:30 pm and we can't wait!!!!


Noma's Timeline:
Anele (her given name) was born on 26 November 2015 near Johannesburg and was placed in the care of the Wandisa Adoption Agency (the agency that has helped us with our adoption).  She was soon transferred into the care of The Love of Christ (TLC) Children's home in Eikenhof, Gauteng where she has been ever since.  She has received wonderful care and is a healthy baby girl who we are ready to accept into our family.

More updates to come ...