You know how some days you feel like you just aren't ready to share your heart, and then there are other days where you just HAVE to get it out as it is tearing you up inside? Yep, this is one of those days.
I don't want this to sound like a whiny post, because we just attended the funeral of a wonderful man of faith, who was just a year older than my husband, and suddenly was gone from this earth. We aren't facing that. We are together, healthy, growing and life is good. It is always challenging - raising kids is, and there are times where you just face those hard spots, and you take them one step at a time, one action at a time, and you work it through. That is life. To see the growth, the life, it's all good.
Today I am very sad though. We have a court date in Ethiopia. Yay!
EXCEPT!!!!!
We don't have a form we need from Immigration as of yet.
Somehow we got submitted to court without it.
But we have to have it for court, and at this point it is unlikely that we can get it processed in time.
There is NO DOUBT, we WILL get it, just not in time for the November 22nd court date. At least, not terribly likely.
We have been working with Immigration to do everything possible to make this happen. But it is a government agency, and there are certain timelines that are tough to change. Things have to be processed. I get it.
I am impressed to say that I have been able to talk to a wonderful Immigration officer who has been very helpful and done everything she can do, and given me lots of information so I could do everything that we could do, but it looks like we don't meet the criteria for "expedited" processing. And I get that too. Our children in Ethiopia are not in danger of dying. It really isn't likely to threaten their lives that this will put them longer out from getting home. It isn't. It honestly isn't. I tried to make their medical case as honest as I could, sent the documentation that I do have, but they will be okay overall.
Which is a blessing.
We have done all that we can do at this point. I have kept our agency up to speed every time I have talked to Immigration and we have all done all that we can.
The final tiny possibility of hope is that we MIGHT be able to be fingerprinted early. At this point we have been granted a fingerprinting appointment for November 21st. (Day before our court date in Ethiopia, and the information would still need to be processed to get us the form we need.) We can TRY to get the Homeland Security people in Milwaukee to fingerprint us early, but only after we get the written information on our fingerprinting apoointment, and that is still in the mail. I don't know of anyone who has had any luck showing up at the Milwaukee office and getting fingerprinted early. I only know of one person who HASN'T, which means I only know of one person who has TRIED. IF we were to be fingerprinted within the next week, I suppose it MIGHT be POSSIBLE for us to have the form back in our hands by November 14th, which is the date we are told we MUST have it by.
Doesn't exactly look hopeful.
All I know to do, is to do every single thing possible. And that is what we will do. I guess. Likely I will get hubby to schedule a work day in Milwaukee (he does several a week) and I will ride along and bring things to do. And PRAY. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't. But I will bring photos of our little girls and appeal to everyone that will listen to me. Kindly. But honestly and from a mama's heart.
So, today having gotten the final word that we won't get a chance at expedited processing and knowing our chances dwindle with every passing day, well, today I want to curl up and cry.
But, laundry has to be done, work has to be done, applesauce has to be made, there are lovely kids to care for, animald to care for and life goes on. But, let me tell you, I will be packing the care packages I had hoped to take to my little girls and sending them with a family that is going soon, so I can think of my little ones with their packages and maybe understanding that someone loves them and is coming.
But today I am sad that it won't be soon that we get to meet them, and that I honestly have no idea how far back this could put us. My worst fear is that we won't get another court date for six months or more. My prayer is that we could get a December date. That is impossible.
So, today, I am going to do the only things I know how to do. I am going to care for the wonderful children who are here. I am going to sort all their summer things out of their drawers and pack them away so no one tries to wear flip flops in December. I am going to plan menus. I am going to write. I am going to pray. And I will keep doing all that needs to be done. The simple things in life keep us moving. Kids and animals like to eat, kids keep growing, floors need washing, on and on it goes. That keeps us from letting our disappointments wear us to nothing. We just keep going.
There are some very cool things in the works regarding beginning an adoption ministry, and I will try to keep you posted. I know NOTHING about any of how to do it, I just know that it is needed, families are needed, homes are needed. I have no idea how to start it - but I know someone who does!!!!!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
I don't want this to sound like a whiny post, because we just attended the funeral of a wonderful man of faith, who was just a year older than my husband, and suddenly was gone from this earth. We aren't facing that. We are together, healthy, growing and life is good. It is always challenging - raising kids is, and there are times where you just face those hard spots, and you take them one step at a time, one action at a time, and you work it through. That is life. To see the growth, the life, it's all good.
Today I am very sad though. We have a court date in Ethiopia. Yay!
EXCEPT!!!!!
We don't have a form we need from Immigration as of yet.
Somehow we got submitted to court without it.
But we have to have it for court, and at this point it is unlikely that we can get it processed in time.
There is NO DOUBT, we WILL get it, just not in time for the November 22nd court date. At least, not terribly likely.
We have been working with Immigration to do everything possible to make this happen. But it is a government agency, and there are certain timelines that are tough to change. Things have to be processed. I get it.
I am impressed to say that I have been able to talk to a wonderful Immigration officer who has been very helpful and done everything she can do, and given me lots of information so I could do everything that we could do, but it looks like we don't meet the criteria for "expedited" processing. And I get that too. Our children in Ethiopia are not in danger of dying. It really isn't likely to threaten their lives that this will put them longer out from getting home. It isn't. It honestly isn't. I tried to make their medical case as honest as I could, sent the documentation that I do have, but they will be okay overall.
Which is a blessing.
We have done all that we can do at this point. I have kept our agency up to speed every time I have talked to Immigration and we have all done all that we can.
The final tiny possibility of hope is that we MIGHT be able to be fingerprinted early. At this point we have been granted a fingerprinting appointment for November 21st. (Day before our court date in Ethiopia, and the information would still need to be processed to get us the form we need.) We can TRY to get the Homeland Security people in Milwaukee to fingerprint us early, but only after we get the written information on our fingerprinting apoointment, and that is still in the mail. I don't know of anyone who has had any luck showing up at the Milwaukee office and getting fingerprinted early. I only know of one person who HASN'T, which means I only know of one person who has TRIED. IF we were to be fingerprinted within the next week, I suppose it MIGHT be POSSIBLE for us to have the form back in our hands by November 14th, which is the date we are told we MUST have it by.
Doesn't exactly look hopeful.
All I know to do, is to do every single thing possible. And that is what we will do. I guess. Likely I will get hubby to schedule a work day in Milwaukee (he does several a week) and I will ride along and bring things to do. And PRAY. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't. But I will bring photos of our little girls and appeal to everyone that will listen to me. Kindly. But honestly and from a mama's heart.
So, today having gotten the final word that we won't get a chance at expedited processing and knowing our chances dwindle with every passing day, well, today I want to curl up and cry.
But, laundry has to be done, work has to be done, applesauce has to be made, there are lovely kids to care for, animald to care for and life goes on. But, let me tell you, I will be packing the care packages I had hoped to take to my little girls and sending them with a family that is going soon, so I can think of my little ones with their packages and maybe understanding that someone loves them and is coming.
But today I am sad that it won't be soon that we get to meet them, and that I honestly have no idea how far back this could put us. My worst fear is that we won't get another court date for six months or more. My prayer is that we could get a December date. That is impossible.
So, today, I am going to do the only things I know how to do. I am going to care for the wonderful children who are here. I am going to sort all their summer things out of their drawers and pack them away so no one tries to wear flip flops in December. I am going to plan menus. I am going to write. I am going to pray. And I will keep doing all that needs to be done. The simple things in life keep us moving. Kids and animals like to eat, kids keep growing, floors need washing, on and on it goes. That keeps us from letting our disappointments wear us to nothing. We just keep going.
There are some very cool things in the works regarding beginning an adoption ministry, and I will try to keep you posted. I know NOTHING about any of how to do it, I just know that it is needed, families are needed, homes are needed. I have no idea how to start it - but I know someone who does!!!!!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
2 comments:
What's one more miracle to a miracle working God?
He's the God who parted the Red Sea. He's the God who stopped the sun from going down because Joshua asked Him. He's the God who raised His Son from the grave.
Just ask for another miracle. He loves doing them.
PRAYING PRAYING PRAYING along w/you! And Larrywho is right - what's one more? =) I love it! I appreciate your perspective...stand strong momma.
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