Fingerprinted!

Yesterday was our fingerprint appointment in Oklahoma City. Daniel and I drove in the night before to make an overnight getaway of it, and make sure we were there on time that morning. There was a mix-up because only I had received an appointment, and not Daniel. This appointment took 2 months to get. When we got there, they wouldn't let Daniel in the building, only me. I explained my situation but you know how it goes, "Mam, I am sorry, I don't work for immigration. I only do my job. I cannot help you." It seemed as if there was NO ONE in the entire building to help me. I knew if we left there it would be forever getting back in. It was as if I was at the Pentagon or something, trying to find out secrets. I tryed to roam around just to find a breathing person to tell my sob story to and maybe get some pity, but I got caught and was escorted away.

I was already emotional for the morning after seeing a Chinese girl outside and thinking how Hope is so far away, and it is just taking SO LONG. I fear the Chinese will close their doors. They are already DRAGGING things out so much and I do not have faith in them. But I must have faith in God. He will make a way for these children to get out of China and into forever families!

Finally after realizing hope was gone, Daniel and I started home to Tulsa......MAD. Then I thought to call our adoption agency who heard my situation and confirmed that immigration is very hard to work with and get exceptions made. She made a call, and voila! we had clearance. We turned the car around and accomplished the mission....and then celebrated at the Cheesecake Factory afterwards!

So one more thing down...fingerprints. Now we wait for the form to come back (could take months), and then we will almost be done. All this work since April and the countdown hasn't even begun. It's really hard for me because it's like I am pregnant. But not for 9 months......2 or 3 years or more! How do you handle that? If I think about it everyday I get sad and wonder how I can last. But do I NOT think about her....? Impossible. I just pray that China will have a breakthrough, and clear out the orphanages! There are plenty children in orphanages right now to let all the families waiting (probably over 20,000) adopt.

We'll see....

P.S. I was going to take a photo of us standing in front of the Department of Homeland Security sign but NO CAMERAS ALLOWED.

They need a home. They need a familly.

More fun!

Fun taking family photos for dossier!

Nothing to do but wait

For so long I had so much to do and think about. Now, we are waiting. Currently, we are waiting on our fingerprint appointment and our 171-H form to be sent back to us. The dossier cannot be authenicated without these things. Bummer....

Saturday I went to Panera Bread for a baby shower for a friend and ran into the Tulsa Families with Children from China group having a shower for someone who is about to go to China to get her little girl! It was so fun and I am so excited about getting involved in their group. We are also going to get involved in our church's adoption cell group. So even though Hope is maybe 2 years away from us, we will be making new friends and thinking of her as we enjoy the families around us with adopted children!

Daniel, the criminal!

Daniel had an illegal right turn show up on his police record. He is required by China to write a repentance letter for the "crime." In the letter he had to state he was sorry for breaking th law and that he will try harder to uphold the law and be a responsible driver as to not put Hope is any danger (or me, for that matter!). However, after weeks of him joking that he was NOT going to write a letter of such, our Home Study coordinator found a loophole around it and we had a police report run on him that did not include his driving record.

I was enjoying the thought of this letter so much. I was going to post it for all you to read. Sorry you missed out on that one!