Delay

Most of you probably heard via Facebook yesterday, that for Valentine's Day I received a not so sweet, not so loving pink notice from USCIS.  They are not approving our I800 Application until we submit updated paperwork.  In the next 45 days, they are requiring:

• a homestudy update
• additional child abuse registry checks in both NE and CA
• additional federal and state criminal background checks (fingerprints required) for NE and CA

Seems our paperwork expired in November.  And what really gets me is that if our LOA hadn't taken so blasted long, none of this would be necessary.  There is little that I can do, only wait on my social worker to get it all done since she has to write the update and send in the clearance forms requiring her signature.  We will get fingerprints in CA taken care of this weekend, then we wait for the results.

Would you please pray for all of this to happen in the next 2-3 weeks so that we get everything completed long before the 45 day deadline?  The fingerprint and accompanying background checks will take the longest because we're counting on government agencies to do their jobs quickly and efficiently.  And of course, all this requires money.  Please pray that God will continue to provide everything we need to make the rest of this adoption happen.

And while you're at it, would you please pray for my heart?  With everything we have going on: a house not selling, living in limbo, my kids tired and needing their own space, and a messed up adoption in a broken system, I'm just fried.  I'd like nothing more than to stay in my pajamas all day and cry.  I know full well that God has a plan and He'll get us through this but my heart is still just so very sad.

UPDATE at 2:00PM
This afternoon I spoke with my agency who has had their attorney review the pink notice a dozen times.  They have come to the conclusion that we will not need to jump through all the hoops I listed above.  What will be required is:

• a homestudy addendum (as opposed to an update) saying we are not criminals
• CA background checks (fingerprints required)
• child abuse clearances for NE and CA (our social worker mailed those this morning)

In CA, the background checks are electronic and pretty easy.  I've been told they only take 7-10 days for results to be mailed to our social worker.  After reviewing those, she will write her addendum and send it to our agency who will then send it along to USCIS. 

The elimination of the federal background checks is HUGE, people!  And the fact that all we need is a home study addendum versus an update is HUGE too.  It eliminates so much time, money and hassle.

So for an updated prayer request, please pray this is the LAST PINK NOTICE we receive (remember the 2 I received for our Nepal adoption?) and that the rest is smooth sailing to our daughter in China.