Friday, March 9, 2012

When It Rains, It Pours!

Today on my way to school I confessed to God my frustrations, impatience, lack of faith, and any other negative mindset you can think of.  I told Him that I'm really frustrated and just feeling...low.  I don't want to feel this way, I want to stay positive and trusting, so could He please encourage me?

Well, about halfway through 3rd bell, my cellphone rang.  It was a New York number.  I thought, "who would be calling me from New York?  Everyone I know who lives there, I have their number."  I was teaching so I didn't take the call.  Then, due to the craziness of middle school, I completely forgot about the phone call until lunch when I checked my phone as saw there was a voicemail.  It was from one of the grant organizations I've applied to and they were calling me to tell me that I passed the first step and the grant committee would like to send me more information so they can basically figure out how much money to give me!!!  YIPPEE!!!!!  There are still a few things that need to be worked out but it is a step in the right direction!

Then, I got home and received an email from my caseworker.  She said that they just heard that the orphanage will be mailing them 4 Child Study Reports (CSRs) for 4 of the Hyderbab*d  children!!!  Oh my goodness am I happy!!  This means that they really are moving!!  Unfortunately, or rather fortunately, Sofia's report is not one of them.  She explained that they were also informed that they are recreating Sofia's CSR since her original was with Agency A since last year and can't be forwarded to my agency because of that.  My caseworker told me it's a blessing in disguise because now that the new guidelines are in place, the new CSRs are actually geared towards exactly what they know C*RA is looking for now and thus, should help my agency in obtaining the NOC as quickly as possible!!  I have to have the NOC in order to get a court date!!  But before that happens, I need my home study amendments so that I can file for my I-800A since I need that in order to officially accept her referral.  Is your head spinning yet?  Here's a breakdown of what needs to happen in the order it should:

1.  Home Study amended (my social worker received the edits on 2/24 so hopefully this will be SOON!)
2.  File I-800A (all paperwork has been filled out and check already mailed to my agency- they file on my behalf)
3.  Receive I-800A approval
4.  Receive Sofia's updated CSR
5.  Officially ACCEPT HER REFERRAL!!!!
6.  Send in referral, dossier (already completed!) and I-800A
7.  Receive NOC
8.  Prep/review court affidavit
9.  PRAY LIKE CRAZY that the docket  at that time is not full so I can
10.  TRAVEL TO MEET HER FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!  And pass court :)
11.  Go back home :(((((
12.  Make second trip to finalize on the US side of things
13.  HOME!!!

There are a few other steps in there, but those are the big ones!  Please, please pray that things will keep moving along!!

Continuing with my good news, yesterday I received my USCIS appt. for updating my fingerprints for Joaquin.  It is over Spring break, which is great because I didn't want to have to miss school to get it taken care of!

Finally, my best-friend drove into town last night and in about 1 hour I will be sitting across from her beautiful face celebrating all of this good news with a glass of vino!!

How's that for a start to the weekend?

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