I600A APPROVAL!!!

Dan came in from cutting grass with the mail in his hands and said, "Be excited!".  I looked at him and the mail and back at him.  "How excited?" I had to clarify that we were on the same subject...sometimes we aren't :).  He just grinned and shook his head yes. And in the mail was a large envelope with the return address "Department of Homeland Security" that we have been waiting 6 long weeks for.  In the envelope was a surprisingly boring looking piece of paper that stated "NOTICE OF FAVORABLE DETERMINATION..." Some of the most precious words I have ever read!
So this means that we can receive our referral ANY DAY!  It could still be several weeks before we do but it is a wonderful feeling and an answered prayer to finally be so close to seeing the faces of our children.

An Officer and some CPK...not a bad week

So after almost 5 weeks, my impatience got the best of me and I called the good old USCIS (United States Citizenship & Immigration Services) to check on the status of our I600A.  And we were told that on the 13th we had been assigned an officer to review our application.  I was informed that it typically takes 1-2 weeks to receive our approval after being assigned an officer.  While I was hoping for something sooner, I'm excited to know something and that our case is being processed.  And we are still beating the average on the USCIS site, that says it is typically taking 75 days to approve them so basically don't bother us until it's been 75 days.  So I won't bother them, I'll just pray that the officer we are assigned is efficient and having a good week so we can get our approval this week instead of mid-June (which is 75 days from when they received our application).  The approval is at the discretion of each individual officer and my agency told me today that some officers have been known to deny applicants when the applicant calls too often to check their status.  While this is unfair, I'm sure it is frustrating to not be able to do your job because anxious parents like me keep interrupting your work.  Once we get the approval we can get our referral ANY DAY!!! This week our dossier will have been in Ethiopia a month and we are so excited to see the faces of our children!
In other news, California Pizza Kitchen is hosting a fundraiser for us tomorrow and is donating 20% of sales to those who bring in a flyer for our adoption.  While any fundraiser is super exciting, I love CPK and haven't eaten there in probably 2 years, so I am especially looking forward to eating dinner with family and friends around some incredible food! If anyone wants to join us let me know and I can email you a flyer!

Waiting is Hard Work!

It's been 3 weeks and 2 days since we went down to the Federal Building and were fingerprinted.  No sign from USCIS with our official approval.  This isn't unusual...I'm just impatient.  Each day when the mail comes I'm like a kid at Christmas.  I run out and filter through the bills and junk in hopes to see an envelope with return address "Department of Homeland Security".  So far nothing.  Our dossier has been in Ethiopia 2 weeks tomorrow.  And even though it is making it's way to to the top of the list, I have no idea of it's progress each day. I've never had to wait like this before.  Everything else in life had an appointed end.  High school and college graduation had a date circled on the calendar.  I counted down days to my wedding.  Even when I was prego with the girls and the exact date wasn't known, there was an end date.  If they weren't out by then, they would be evicted! There is no end date in sight with our adoption.  While that might be a little dramatic to say, it's just not known.  We could get our USCIS approval today and our referral tomorrow.  One family I've met since we started this process literally got their referral a few days after their dossier got to Ethiopia.  Or we could get our USCIS approval in a month and a referral in six months.  There are so many variables it's completely unpredictable from my viewpoint.  I'm sure the wonderful people at our agency are more aware and will have a heads up before me.  Thankfully, they don't share all of that inside info until it's certain we have a referral.  As if the suspense isn't enough, I would not want a lot of "possibles" and then disappointment. 
So we are waiting and praying (a LOT) and raising money to bring our kiddos home.  Until now, I have selfishly felt like I was somewhat in control of what happened in my life and that I had worked hard to get what we have.  This experience is knowing that WE literally can't do this on our own and are being completely humbled by asking our family and friends to partner with us.  And a whole new trust of giving our children, the adoption process, and the cost completely over to the Lord.  And no matter how much we think we are giving, we can't out give the one who gave His life for us.  He has given the ultimate sacrifice and I can't earn it or work for it.  It's a gift of grace. 
We are so grateful and humbled by our friends and family who are coming around us in prayer and support.  People who are sacrificially giving to help bring our kids home.  We'll never be able to express our thanks.  But know we love you and appreciate you!