Yesterday, Tuesday, July 6, I phoned our USCIS caseworker as a follow-up from our conversation on Friday, which was to notify her that we walked-in for our fingerprints (20 days early, might I add!) AND check the status of our approval and mailing of the the I797C. (The official I800A approval form/paperwork)
She answered the phone but was busy at the moment. I quickly gave an overview of Friday's conversation and that I was calling to check the status of our I800A approval. She said there are approximately 700 files on her desk and that she will need to pull our file. She also added, that our approval will be going out soon and if we didn't hear from her the next day, all should be good. I politely said thank you for her time but was hesitant to "just wait." Well, shortly after we hung up, she called back to say, sorry she didn't have time when I called to check my file but the approval was mailed out earlier that morning!!
YES, OUR APPROVAL WAS MAILED TUESDAY MORNING, 7/6 AND SHOULD ARRIVE ANY DAY NOW!!!
The I797C is the final piece of the puzzle required for our dossier...once the I797C is received, notarized, certified and authenticated...our dossier will be sent to China!!!! A BIG STEP TO BRINGING OUR SWEET GIRL, HOME!!!
PS: For those not familiar with adoption lingo, a dossier is the mounds of paperwork required for adoption.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
An Unexpected Connection: A Friend of Our Daughter!
Today, when opening emails to ensure the USCIS office or our adoption agency was not attempting to contact us via email, I came across an email entitled, "Searching for Texas Family" posted on our GSWI yahoo group. (GSWI is the abbreviation for Guangzhou Social Welfare Institue-where our daughter is located). When opening the email, it was a lady searching for the family adopting "Huang Miao," yes, our daughter!!! I immediately replied.
The family sending the email adopted an older girl back in October and during their stay, met our daughter! As it turns out, the girls are friends!!! This is totally amazing and what are the chances of finding a close friend of our daughter's...this has been a prayer since the start of our daughter's adoption. What better way to help Miao to feel more comfortable about a move to the US, half-way around the globe, than to tell her that we are in touch with a friend's family! This is surely an answered prayer!! We've exchanged a few emails and received pictures of our daughter! We look forward getting to know this family better and one day, getting our girls together.
The family sending the email adopted an older girl back in October and during their stay, met our daughter! As it turns out, the girls are friends!!! This is totally amazing and what are the chances of finding a close friend of our daughter's...this has been a prayer since the start of our daughter's adoption. What better way to help Miao to feel more comfortable about a move to the US, half-way around the globe, than to tell her that we are in touch with a friend's family! This is surely an answered prayer!! We've exchanged a few emails and received pictures of our daughter! We look forward getting to know this family better and one day, getting our girls together.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Fingerprinting Today!!
God is great....all the time!
Thanks to the Good Lord's grace, we were fingerprinted TODAY!!! This is ahead of our scheduled appointment!! We were told that Houston is the one city in particular known to deny families for early fingerprinting. Fortunately, thanks to God's grace, we got through with no questions or problems! We had Earl's itinerary in hand, showing he would be traveling out of the country on business and proof of our beautiful daughter's birthday, showing she will age-out in 11 months. (Aging-out means she will no longer be available for adoption) BUT, we didn't need either of these!!! The 4 USCIS representatives we spoke with didn't ask questions or hesitate to allow us to be fingerprinted!!
Also incredible is the fact, it only took us 15 minutes, from start to finish!!! Yes, only 15 minutes at a government office. Is that incredible or what?!?!
I phoned the USCIS office and spoke with our caseworker when returning home. She kindly pulled up our record and said we are approved and once the fingerprints were loaded in the system, she will mail the I797 Approval form!!!!! Prints will be loaded either this afternoon or on Tuesday!
Earl and I were so excited and gave all praises to God on the drive home. This adoption continues to show us the capacity of God's love, God's work and that HE is always in control....amazing how much of God's grace we've seen between the two adoptions. We almost timed-out and lost the opportunity to adopt our beautiful daughter BUT when God is involved...he can move mountains and find a way..even when it involves government rules and regulations!! God is great....all the time!!
What next?
1. Receive the I797 (USCIS Approval to adopt & bring our girl home!)
2. Send the I797 Approval form to Madison Adoption Associates
3. Madison Adoption Associates will authenticate & certify the I797 Approval Form
4. DTC-DOSSIER TO CHINA! Our mounds of paperwork is sent to China
5. LID: LOG-IN DATE:our paperwork is logged into China's system (approx. 2 weeks after DTC)
6. LOA: Letter of Approval from China
7. Article 5**
8. TA: Travel Approval
9. Schedule CA (consulate appointment)
10. Schedule travel
**The Article 5 has several steps involved
We hope to be traveling by end of year but will know a better estimate, once we receive the LOA.
Thanks to God's grace, we were sucessful at walking in to be fingerprinted, ahead of our scheduled appointment!!! It was totally God's grace at work. We had been told that Houston was the one city that is known for turning away those who request early fingerprinting. We went prepared, Earl's China business trip itinerary in hand along with proof of our daughter's birthday and the fact, she will be aging out (ie: unadoptable) in 11 short months. If we don't make it to China by June, we lose the beautiful opportunity to adopt her. Fortunately, we didn't need any of this information!! The USCIS office didn't question us one time and we went through 3 people before the fingerprinting. What a blessing!!!!
Thanks to the Good Lord's grace, we were fingerprinted TODAY!!! This is ahead of our scheduled appointment!! We were told that Houston is the one city in particular known to deny families for early fingerprinting. Fortunately, thanks to God's grace, we got through with no questions or problems! We had Earl's itinerary in hand, showing he would be traveling out of the country on business and proof of our beautiful daughter's birthday, showing she will age-out in 11 months. (Aging-out means she will no longer be available for adoption) BUT, we didn't need either of these!!! The 4 USCIS representatives we spoke with didn't ask questions or hesitate to allow us to be fingerprinted!!
Also incredible is the fact, it only took us 15 minutes, from start to finish!!! Yes, only 15 minutes at a government office. Is that incredible or what?!?!
I phoned the USCIS office and spoke with our caseworker when returning home. She kindly pulled up our record and said we are approved and once the fingerprints were loaded in the system, she will mail the I797 Approval form!!!!! Prints will be loaded either this afternoon or on Tuesday!
Earl and I were so excited and gave all praises to God on the drive home. This adoption continues to show us the capacity of God's love, God's work and that HE is always in control....amazing how much of God's grace we've seen between the two adoptions. We almost timed-out and lost the opportunity to adopt our beautiful daughter BUT when God is involved...he can move mountains and find a way..even when it involves government rules and regulations!! God is great....all the time!!
What next?
1. Receive the I797 (USCIS Approval to adopt & bring our girl home!)
2. Send the I797 Approval form to Madison Adoption Associates
3. Madison Adoption Associates will authenticate & certify the I797 Approval Form
4. DTC-DOSSIER TO CHINA! Our mounds of paperwork is sent to China
5. LID: LOG-IN DATE:our paperwork is logged into China's system (approx. 2 weeks after DTC)
6. LOA: Letter of Approval from China
7. Article 5**
8. TA: Travel Approval
9. Schedule CA (consulate appointment)
10. Schedule travel
**The Article 5 has several steps involved
We hope to be traveling by end of year but will know a better estimate, once we receive the LOA.
Thanks to God's grace, we were sucessful at walking in to be fingerprinted, ahead of our scheduled appointment!!! It was totally God's grace at work. We had been told that Houston was the one city that is known for turning away those who request early fingerprinting. We went prepared, Earl's China business trip itinerary in hand along with proof of our daughter's birthday and the fact, she will be aging out (ie: unadoptable) in 11 short months. If we don't make it to China by June, we lose the beautiful opportunity to adopt her. Fortunately, we didn't need any of this information!! The USCIS office didn't question us one time and we went through 3 people before the fingerprinting. What a blessing!!!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
I800A Fingerprinting Appointment Notice RECEIVED TODAY!!!
12 DAYS AFTER RECEIPT NOTICE
Our mail typically is not delivered until 2:00 pm but thankfully, the mail arrived early today and guess what??!! OUR FINGERPRINTING APPT NOTICE was received!!!! YEA!!!
Now, we are not happy about the appointment date, as it's not until July 22, (daddy's birthday) which is several weeks out and the fact Earl will be in China on business. BUMMER!! BUT, we are going to try to be fingerprinted early, by walking into the biometric office, hopefully this week! We need to make babysitting arrangements for Sterling and Earl has items to complete before we can attempt the early fingerprinting so if not this week, definitely next!!
We are told that Houston is the one city that will refuse early fingerprinting but, we're going to give it our best shot! We are taking Earl's itinerary for his China trip as proof he will be in China on the scheduled date & proof of our daughter's birthdate and the fact, she will age out within 11 months and we must be in China prior to her birthday or China will not allow her to be adopted. We are praying that with these 2 honest pleas we are successful!!!! Please keep us in your prayers.
Another step closer to bringing our sweet girl home!!!!!
WE LOVE YOU MIAO AND WORKING DELIGENTLY TO GET YOU HOME, WHERE YOU BELONG!!!
Our mail typically is not delivered until 2:00 pm but thankfully, the mail arrived early today and guess what??!! OUR FINGERPRINTING APPT NOTICE was received!!!! YEA!!!
Now, we are not happy about the appointment date, as it's not until July 22, (daddy's birthday) which is several weeks out and the fact Earl will be in China on business. BUMMER!! BUT, we are going to try to be fingerprinted early, by walking into the biometric office, hopefully this week! We need to make babysitting arrangements for Sterling and Earl has items to complete before we can attempt the early fingerprinting so if not this week, definitely next!!
We are told that Houston is the one city that will refuse early fingerprinting but, we're going to give it our best shot! We are taking Earl's itinerary for his China trip as proof he will be in China on the scheduled date & proof of our daughter's birthdate and the fact, she will age out within 11 months and we must be in China prior to her birthday or China will not allow her to be adopted. We are praying that with these 2 honest pleas we are successful!!!! Please keep us in your prayers.
Another step closer to bringing our sweet girl home!!!!!
WE LOVE YOU MIAO AND WORKING DELIGENTLY TO GET YOU HOME, WHERE YOU BELONG!!!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Happy Birthday, Miao!!
Happy birthday, sweet girl!!
Our daughter celebrated her 13th birthday this week, on Wednesday, June 23! We were celebrating with her, 1/2 way around the world. In her honor, we celebrated with a pink cake, pink & white balloons, Hello Kitty napkins & plates and gifts to be opened when she comes home.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET GIRL! NEXT YEAR, WE WILL BE CELEBRATING TOGETHER, AS A FAMILY!!!
Love,
Mom, Dad, Sterling & Justin
Thursday, June 17, 2010
I800A Notice of Receipt
RECEIVED TODAY!!!!!! Thursday, 6/17--exactly one week after our I800A was received
I am thrilled to share we received the receipt notice, TODAY!!! This is from the USCIS office and is the notice that notifies us our I800A form was received. Hey, in the adoption world, any communication received is another step forward....and thus, another step closer to bringing home our daughter!!!
The next step is to receive the Biometric Fingerprinting Appointment notice. I hope it arrives very soon!!! In speaking with the USCIS representative the other day, he said it arrives a few days after the notice of receipt. I sure hope he's right!! I sent an email out to the adoption yahoo groups inquiring how long it took other families to receive their notice.
Another step closer to bringing Miao home!!!!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
June Care Package For Our Daughter!
We sent the following items to our daughter for the month of June! June 1 is Children's Day a national holiday observed in China. I waited too late for the gifts to be delivered timely but the care package service was very kind and made contact with the SWI to notify them a care package was coming their way for our daughter and wanted our daughter to know we were thinking of her on Children's Day and the care package would arrive soon! The package was shipped within China on June 6.
A beautiful pink pillow with tassels and pictures. This is my favorite gift we've sent yet!
The envelope containing the letter from us to our daughter! I appreciate the sweet sentiment the care package service included. Yes, we do love her!!!!!!
Here are all the gifts in one picture.
A big thank you to Gifts To China With Love!
http://www.giftstochinawithlove.com/.jpg)
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