It’s been almost three years, but Andre and Luke Boyer are finally home with their family.

Since late 2012, their adoptive parents, Jason and Jennefer Boyer, had been waiting to be able to bring their two sons home from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The couple — who used to live in Redmond but are now in unincorporated King County between Redmond and Sammamish — had filled out all the required paperwork (American and Congolese), participated in home studies and waded through all the other red tape required to adopt their boys three years ago.

At the time, Andre was 3 and a half years old and Luke was 1 year old.

But Jason and Jennefer hadn’t been able to bring Andre and Luke, now 6 and 4, respectively,  home because they — along with hundreds of other families worldwide — were stuck in a limbo as they waited for one single piece of paper.

That piece of paper was an exit letter, which would allow Andre and Luke — who had previously been orphans — to leave the country with their parents for the United States.

SUCH A RELIEF

It wasn’t until Nov. 2 that the Boyers learned that they would finally be able to bring their boys home.

At that point, Jennefer had moved to the DRC, following a visit in January during which Luke became very ill and it became clear that one of them would have to stay. She had been living in the DRC for about nine months.

About two weeks prior to them learning the boys could come home, Jennefer and Jason were trying to figure out a holiday schedule for him and their two biological daughters to visit. The next day, they learned that 69 children who have been in the same paperwork limbo as Andre and Luke were being released — including 14 children to the United States. Jennefer said it was both exciting and scary news because they didn’t know if the boys had made the list. They had also had a number of “false alarms” in which they thought they would be receiving the exit letter, but didn’t. When they learned their sons were part of the 14, it was “such a relief” — especially as the boys had been released together.

Jennefer said there were some cases in which siblings were being separated as one child had been approved to be released while their brothers and or sisters were not — even if their paperwork was submitted together as a unit.

“It just shows how random it was,” Jennefer said about the selection process.

In addition to the relief the Boyers have felt to having Luke and Andre home with them, Jennefer said it was an added relief to be reunited with her husband and daughters stateside. She couldn’t have imagined a better holiday season.

Jason said he is also overjoyed at their new circumstances. The nine-month separation while Jennefer was in the DRC with their sons and he was here with their daughters was not easy.

“It was hard,” Jason said. “It was very difficult.”

A STATE OF SHOCK

After learning of Luke and Andre’s release, the Boyers worked quickly to get that exit letter.

Jennefer said on her end, she contacted the U.S. embassy to push to get the letter as soon as possible. Stateside, Jason booked a flight to the DRC for Nov. 9, with return tickets for the four of them for Nov. 10 — a mere eight days after they learned Luke and Andre had made the list. The Boyers’ two daughters, Claire, 5, and Gabby, 7, would welcome their brothers home when the arrived at SeaTac International Airport on Nov. 12 (they had to make a pit stop to drop off another child in Washington, D.C. with  his adoptive family before coming home).

“I think I’m still in shock,” Jennefer said about the fact that her whole family is finally together at home and waking up to hear their sons and daughters playing and laughing together. “I don’t take it for granted.”

Both she and Jason are still getting used to having all four of their children at home — but in a good way.

“It’s great,” Jason said. “The house is in chaos. It’s the loudest it’s ever been.”

A WARM WELCOME

Jennefer said there are a number of people to thank in helping to bring their sons home. They have received support from family and friends, as evidenced in the incredibly warm welcome they arrived to at SeaTac.

“Everywhere we’ve gone, our boys have been welcome,” Jennefer said. “That part’s been beautiful.”

In addition, she said they are grateful to the various U.S. representatives and U.S. senators who signed letters sent to the Congolese government regarding the adoption issue. The lawmakers — including Reps. Suzan DelBene and Dave Reichert and Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell — also checked in with their family from time to time.

“I can’t tell you how much joy I felt when I heard that Jennefer was going to be able to bring her sons home,” DelBene said. “This has been such a long journey for her family and I can’t imagine how difficult it was to split time between Washington and the DRC. I’m glad I was able to help advocate for Andre and Luke and that they’ve made it home safely. I look forward to meeting them in person soon!”

But just because the Boyers’ adoptive battle is now over, it does not mean they are done advocating for the cause. It has been great for the Boyers to be altogether now, but Jennefer said it has also been difficult knowing there are still more than 1,000 children who are waiting to be released to be with their adoptive families, which makes them feel horrible.

“We are still fighting for them,” she said.