I800A HAS BEEN APPROVED!!

YAY! Our I800A has FINALLY been approved!!! After 70 long days I couldn't take it anymore. My patience was running thin and I found myself growing angry over this. Why should this process take so long while kids are waiting for their families and families are waiting for their kids? I have heard from a few people that their efforts to expedite their immigration approvals resulted in their paperwork actually getting trapped and their approvals were slower. I didn't want that to happen so I decided to just try to be patient.

Each day I was anxiously awaiting the mail and each day I found lots of junk mail, a couple bills, but no I800A approval.  Finally, yesterday after the mail had been delivered and did not contain the approval I decided to sit down and search the internet for a phone number. It wasn't easy to find, but I finally found it on a Chinese special needs adoption website. I was not expecting anyone to answer at all. Much to my surprise and amazement someone answered on the first ring. Not only did she answer but she was extremely nice and helpful! WOW! She told me that it is currently taking about 90 days to receive approvals. But, she asked my name and told me she would look it up. She then reported that it had been approved on Wednesday (1/4/12)! If I could have reached through the phone and hugged her I would have!  Now the countdown of 11-15 weeks until travel can begin!  Yay, another step closer to my sweet boy!

Of course, being the persistent (read: annoying) gal that I am I immediately called my agency to see if they could send my I800 off now that we have an approval. Unfortunately, they need the hardcopy. So, I called USCIS back to see if they could scan and email or fax it to me, but they can't. So, really we are waiting. But, being the helpful lady she is, she looked up when they sent it and it should be in my hands by tomorrow or Monday.

After I receive it we send in our second immigration form (I800) which is taking about 20 days for approval. In the meantime, we get to plan our trip to China, get our visas, etc. This is crunch time and boy am I ready! In 11-15 weeks I should have my little baby boy in my arms. And, probably not long after that I will be watching my two little boys shooting hoops, chasing, wrestling, and laughing together.

"Patience is not passive;

on the contrary, it is active;

it is concentrated strength."