Last Saturday, Ben and I needed to have some "get away from the international adoption paperwork mess" time, so we drove up to the Great Smoky Mountains and explored an off the beaten path trail by the river. It was very refreshing, and Ava enjoyed being outdoors all bundled up with Daddy.
These are two of my very dear friends from teaching at the Intermediate School who came by for a visit last week. I can not tell you how many times they have encouraged my heart. Thank you, Eva and Shelly!
My girlfriends, Lisa and Madeleine, popped in for a surprise visit last week, too. We had lunch together and got to have some fun girl time.
Finally, here is Ava posing amidst my fall decorations on the front porch. We're hoping to go to the pumpkin patch sometime next week to pick out some pumpkins! Oh, and the socks Ava is wearing are Mary Jane socks! Thank you, Karen!!! I love them!
*** I updated this blog tonight at 5:00.
As I said, I'm really trying to just relax today and enjoy Ava. This international adoption stress is weighing on me, but I'm choosing to not worry and just move through the obstacles one at a time.
The latest is that there really is a great debate going on between the Joint Coucil for international children and USCIS. They can't agree on which form to file to adopt internationally.
Ben and I are literally caught in the middle of this. This morning, we signed a Joint Council for international children petition and are preparing to write to our state legislators along with seven-thousand (yes, I said, seven-thousand) other adoptive families in the United States trying to bring home children from abroad.
The plea is for families to be able to continue to file the I-600A Advanced Orphan Petition form for extensions. These extensions last for only 18 months, so in the long wait for China referrals, families like us, are having to file three times. Continuing to file the I-600A would mean less financial hardship on families and less risk for us to also adopt a child domestically while at the same time adopting child internationally.
This is the situation we're suddenly finding ourselves in right now. We're basically waiting for legislation to be approved to continue filing the I-600A. We have no idea when that will happen. On our case, USCIS told us in July to file the I-800A which is a new from that meets Hague requirements for those countries who are Hague regulated. Our I-800A is sitting in the Missouri office waiting for us to be fingerprinted and for our updated homestudy with Ava included to join it. However, we may be able to go back and file an I-600A. I can not stress the importance of this government decision that will likely be made soon.
Luckily, our I-600A doesn't expire until January, so we have some time while the government tries to work this out. God-speed for all families involved and caught up in this mess.
This is a government issue that is MUCH bigger than us, and we're having to trust that action will be taken soon to help families. As it turns out, this is not a China issue so much as it is a US issue. That's right. The Department of State, who are quoted as having a "strong arm" in this process are the ones ultimately deciding if we can bring home our daughter from China.
To answer this "strong arm."
"The heavens are Yours , the earth also is Yours; The world and all it's fullness, You have founded them. The north and the south, You have created them.... You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face. Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, Oh Lord, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all the day long and in Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, and in Your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord and our king to the Holy One of Israel." Psalm 89:11-18
We're sitting tight and just waiting to hear how to proceed from here. I'm expecting a call from the International Director of our ageny tomorrow. PLEASE pray for our conversation.
In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy life with Ava and continue to seek God's guidance in this. It is out of my control. I repeat. It is out of my control. sigh...
I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful fall! I love this time of year. I might break out the hot chocolate today.
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