Still Waiting

So, it looks like our original immigration petition is never going to be approved, even though James has spent countless hours on the phone and internet trying to get people to help us change it.

Our new petition was sent in last week, and we know it has been received, because our check was cashed this week (it figures that our government takes our money quickly, but moves slowly to give us what we're paying for).

It's been a very rough couple days, because we were supposed to leave yesterday for China, so that's mostly what we've been thinking about. We're still hoping that the congressional offices can help get our petition expedited. We know that there is probably some purpose in all of this being delayed, we just hope that someday we know what it is.

On a happier note, I get to have another ultrasound next week, so we should know for sure if we're having a boy (we won't have to wonder if 75 percent sure is good enough to decorate a room on!).

Thanks for all your prayers and concern.

Immigration Denied Again

The immigration form that we needed this week to be able to travel by Oct. 23 was denied again. The Congress offices of Melissa Bean & Barack Obama put in a congressional request to Homeland Security for us, but they said that there is nothing they can do to process it, because it was turned in a few days late. So, that's sad news for us.

But, the good news is, that both offices said that they would help us in any way they can to expedite the new application that will hopefully be ready to turn in next week. The processing time is running about 4 months, so if they can help in any way to cut down the waiting time, we will be so grateful. The people in Bean & Obama's offices have been really helpful and we have been surprised at how good they have been at keeping us updated on any progress.

Thanks so much to Pat Carey, former Grayslake mayor, who helped us get a contact in Melissa Bean's office!

So, we have no idea when we'll be be able to pick Hai Yan up now. Hopefully soon, so I (Amy) will be able to go. Also, we received good news that our agency got China to let Hai Yan stay with her foster family until we arrive. So, she shouldn't have to be moved back to the orphanage.

Immigration Update

We were able to make some connections over the weekend with people in offices of 2 of our congressmen. So all day today, we've been faxing, emailing, & calling for documentation that's needed for them to present our case again to Immigration and try to change their minds. We're so thankful to these people who have been more than willing to help us.

We also got news that Hai Yan is being prepared to move from her foster family back to the orphanage until we pick her up. We were sad to hear this, because we don't know when we'll be able to travel, and we were hoping that she would stay with her foster family as long as possible. The orphanage also requested photos of our family, so they can show her, and they can start preparing her to meet us.

Thanks so much for your prayers. This has been a very difficult few days for us.

Congressmen Connections Needed!

If anyone has any personal connections to any IL congressmen, let us know! We've heard that may be the only way to get our paperwork to go through on time. Thanks!

It's Probably a Boy!

We also found out today that we're having a boy baby! The doctor wasn't completely sure, because the baby was moving so much, but she gave us a 75 percent certainty?.? So, we're very excited, and excited to know that everything looked okay. I think the profile definitely looked different than Elizabeth's ultrasound profile, the face seemed more like James' (so hopefully it is a boy!). Elizabeth wondered if we would see Hai Yan on the ultrasound too :)

Good News, then Bad News

We received great news this week from China! We received our Travel Approval and our tentative travel date is Oct. 23. We were really excited to be able to go pick up Hai Yan so soon.

Then we received bad news from the IL Immigration office. We had been waiting on a form that we had to redo this summer when it expired. We had sent all the paperwork in back in June, and were expecting to receive the approved form anytime. Instead, this week we received a letter telling us that our social worker did not get the necessary paperwork in before the expiration deadline, and that Immigration quit processing our request.

This paper is necessary to bring Hai Yan into the US, and we can't even make any appointments in China without it. So, our agency said that if we don't get it by next week, that we won't be able to travel in October. The worst part is that if Immigration does not process our current petition, we'll have to reapply under new requirements, and the processing time for those is running 3-4 months.

So, needless to say, we're really upset about this mistake, and we're doing everything we can to try to persuade the Immigration office to help us. We've written to many people in the office, as well as congress people. Unfortunately, our agency and social worker have told us that this particular Chicago office has a reputation of not expediting requests, and not budging on processing times.

We feel like we've been on a roller coaster this week. Please pray that we would have patience during this time, and that Hai Yan would be well taken care of until we can pick her up. It's so difficult for us to think of her just waiting in China, while we wait here for a piece of paper to be approved.