I wish I could tell you that things are moving along quickly with our adoption process, but I can't. Every day, people ask WHEN the kids are coming and it is so frustrating to not have an answer. Since the new immigration process for Hague countries has been put in place, things have simply slowed down to a snail's pace. Jill (our adoption counselor) told me last week that only two families (nationwide) have been approved in regards to their I-800A since the change took place. I knew that the process was going to take a while and that there would be plenty of red tape, but this all seems so ridiculous! Jill told me that since the new standards have been put into place, the process, the detail work is MUCH worse than they had anticipated. Of course, it makes a lot more work for the adoption counselors and they are frustrated as well.
Last Tuesday Yanita (our immigration contact person) told us that everything was in order to approve our I-800A. However, there was one UNSIGNED document she needed from Jill. Jill had already sent the SIGNED document (at Yanita's request) but Yanita evidently had made a mistake in asking for a SIGNED document. She admitted that this was her mistake. SO...Yanita wanted to receive the UNSIGNED document by Wednesday because she was going to be out of the office for three days for a minor medical procedure. (She could have possibly approved the I-800A last Wednesday and we could have possibly proceeded to the I-800!!) Jill tried to contact Yanita on Tuesday p.m. without success...then sent the UNSIGNED document in hopes that it was the correct piece of paper. She didn't get a confirmation that Yanita had received the papers so we were waiting for Yanita to come back. Yanita was due to come back today- Tuesday. I called this morning and learned that she requested another day out of the office. I will try to call again tomorrow to see if she got the document that Jill sent and if our I-800A has been approved. We would appreciate your prayers in this matter.
This is probably more information that you really need, but it is difficult to explain where we are at without getting into a long explanation. The last two months have been a series of missed phone messages, time out of the office for vacations, funerals, and medical leave, etc... I am sorry if it seems like I am being critical of the people that have been helping us. I'm not. I know that they have 100 other people that are trying to do the same thing as us. Those families are all feeling the sense of urgency as well. I understand that these things are legitimate, but it has been difficult to understand. I feel like much of this paperwork is... not that complicated and we just would like someone to help us get it done.
Meanwhile, our kids in the Philippines are anxious to come. They have recently said goodbye to some of their friends who have been adopted to families in the United States. I feel the most compassion for Roselyn at this time. She was in a room with two other good teenage girlfriends. Both have left and she now shares a room with three 10-year-old girls. I know she misses her friends dearly, but is trying to be a good example for the younger ones. Roselyn seems so ready to come start her new life with us.
We did a skype call with the kids on Sunday. It was a good call but they were obviously hanging on every word when I started talking about the long wait and when we can come to get them. The delays are hard for us to understand. It is even harder for them to understand. I am proud of how they are hanging in there! We have been told that in spite of their impatience, they are trying to make the best of it.
I hope that I might know more about the I-800A tomorrow. I will certainly let you know when I learn anything that is news worthy.
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