APPROVED!!!!

Thank you all for your prayers.  Our prayers have been answered.  We received our I-800 Approval today!  We are moving forward.  When we decided to adopt, we were told stories about the roller coaster ride of the process.  It is SO true!  All I can say is that we are on top of the world now! 

Still waiting...

I wish I were posting to say we've received approval from Immigration, but, unfortunately, no word yet.  What typically takes 2-3 weeks from LOA to approval is now in week 4 for us:(   On the one hand, I believe and trust that God has perfect timing set up for us to bring Quinn home.  However, my earthly craving to hold my daughter is sometimes unbearable.  I heard a song just a few minutes ago on our local Christian station that described absolutely perfectly how I'm feeling right now.  While he's referring to being with God in heaven, it depicts a yearning I'm sure we've all had for a wait to be over.  And for those who have adopted, I think it speaks volumes about the journey.  I've posted the lyrics and You Tube link below.  Hope it touches you as well. 

BY CHRIS RICE
‘Cause I just want to be with You
I just want this waiting to be over
I just want to be with You
And it helps to know the Day is getting closer
But every minute takes and hour
Every inch feels like a mile
Till I won’t have to imagine
And I finally get to see You smile!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTKdSBIuGdA

PRAYERS PLEASE...

It is difficult for me to write down what's going on now because everytime I stop to think about the gravity of it, my stomach churns.  Here goes...

We overnighted our I-800 on Aug 15th meaning we should have received our preapproval from Immigration right about now to send off to China...big detour...

Our agency mistakenly told us that we could send our I-800 directly to MO for processing.  WRONG!  Not only did they send it back 10 days later with a big fat REJECTED letter attached.  They also required us to send it back to Texas where it would sit and wait for 7-14 days to get sent to...wait for it...MO!  SO, we sent overnight again on Tues, Aug 23rd.

Chris and I were baffled by this setback and, after discussing with our agency case manager, decided to make an appeal to the Immigration officer handling our case.  Perhaps if she understood that Quinn is receiving no physical therapy and that our agency, not us, made the mailing mistake, she'd be sympathetic and speed us up once she received our ppwk. WRONG AGAIN!

The officer said there was  nothing she could do to speed things up and that after hearing about Quinn's disability, it sounded more permanent than minor/correctable, which is all we were elgibile for according to our I-800A (the initial Immigration application.)  Therefore, in order to adopt Quinn, we'd need a Supplement 3-essentially a lot more $ and an amended homestudy which take s alot of time to process.  I broke down sobbing on the phone with this stranger.  I know she's just doing her job, but I just didn't get it.  I STILL don't get it.  How can this be happening.  We're SO close!

After lots of prayer and talking it over with Chris and our agency, we felt strongly that Quinn's disability IS minor and correctable so we've decided NOT to file the additional ppwk.  We're taking a risk.  The officer could reject us again and we will have lost valuable time.  However, there is a chance that after seeing our ppwk, she will approve us and we will have saved ourselves the time, effort,and $ necessary to send the Supplement 3.

We-Chris, myself, and most importantly Quinn- are in need of immediate prayer.  If you are reading this, will you please stop right now and say a quick prayer for this officer to approve our ppwk.  We've already lost 2 weeks by sending the ppwk to MO.  We cannot fathom losing anymore time.
Thank you!