I almost called every week to find out if a case officer has been assigned. Finally I connected to Ms. A and she explained to me what happened to her office. her office is extremely busy due to lack of personnel in addition to learn and apply new rules after the US joined Hague Convention in April 08. She promised me that very soon we would have a case officer, she will be a newly trained person.
One day I called and our case officer told me that everything looks good, except they are waiting for G-file (green card file), which may take 2 weeks to get it. This is totally new to me and our case office says they must have it in order to issue us an approval. No other choice and we have to wait.
I called again after 2 weeks after Thanksgiving day. I am told that they got my husband's G-file and couldn't find mine. She needs to request it at another storage location, which will take another 2 weeks. Oh no, it drives me crazy. But I still hope we could get an approval before Christmas day.
I found a way to keep myself calm besides to pray - Knitting
Nov 30, 2008
My first knitted item, November 2008
I try to knit a sweater for my little girl as we wish to have a healthy girl under 3-year-old. I don't know what size I should knit and how to knit sleeves. It ended as a vest and seems a little big for a three year.
Oct 31, 2008
Disappointment
I called Hague office at Missouri in the beginning of this month after 60 days' waiting. I found out that our case hasn't been appointed an officer yet and Ms. A is away from the office for a whole month. She won't be back until next month. I felt so disappointed and realized that we won't get our approval before Thanksgiving.
Oh, Lord helps me! I found following song when I am in frustration. My anxiety calms down.
Oh, Lord helps me! I found following song when I am in frustration. My anxiety calms down.
Flowers of the Field 野地的花
Christian children song in Chinesehttp://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%E9%87%8E%E5%9C%B0%E7%9A%84%E8%8A%B1&search_type=&aq=f
野地的花穿着美丽的衣裳，
天空的鸟儿从来不为生活忙；
慈爱的天父天天都看顾，
祂更爱世上人，为他们预备永生的路。
一切需要天父已经都知道，
若心中烦恼让祂为你除掉；
慈爱的天父天天都看顾，
祂是全能的主，信靠祂的人真是有福。
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Mattew 6:26
Sep 30, 2008
Wow
Today is September 3, 2008. We receive a letter of notice for fingerprints which is scheduled on Sept.17. We are happy to know our process is moving after a month of waiting. Thanks God!
Aug 30, 2008
Quiet August
We are told that it will take about 3 months for USCIS to process our petition. We won't be given any information for the first 60 days if we call them.
We are patiently counting each day and pray to God for His guidance.
We are patiently counting each day and pray to God for His guidance.
Jul 31, 2008
It is a beautiful day
We feel so thankful after we finish 4 sessions of home visit by our social worker on July 2nd. We know our social worker needs to take a break and spends time with her children, 2 of them are adopted sons. We agree that the rest of our home study report will be done through email.
We start to build our dossier. One of requirements is to provide 6 pictures of adoptive parents, one of pictures should be the whole building of our house.
Early morning of July 4th, me and DH have a lot of fun together and take pictures for ourselves. What a beautiful day! I feel it is one of the most happiest holidays I ever have. Thanks God!
We start to build our dossier. One of requirements is to provide 6 pictures of adoptive parents, one of pictures should be the whole building of our house.
Early morning of July 4th, me and DH have a lot of fun together and take pictures for ourselves. What a beautiful day! I feel it is one of the most happiest holidays I ever have. Thanks God!
I-800A packet is send out 7/30/08
Home study report is done and signed on 7/25/08 and we receive it 2 days later.
Finally we send our I-800A (petition for adoption) packet to USCIS at Missouri on 7/30/08 with attention to Ms.A as she told me in early July. The packet includes:
Original notarized home study
Proof of citizenship
Proof of marriage
Money order for filling fee and fingerprints
Finally we send our I-800A (petition for adoption) packet to USCIS at Missouri on 7/30/08 with attention to Ms.A as she told me in early July. The packet includes:
Original notarized home study
Proof of citizenship
Proof of marriage
Money order for filling fee and fingerprints
Jun 30, 2008
Paperchasing (1)
After 2 weeks of searching and gathering information, we finally came up a local agency to do our home study. We have to choose another adoption agency as our placement agency because the local one their China's program is pending. We favored one agency locates about 470 miles away from us for their director came from China and is a Christian.
I heard that paper chase for home study and dossier is very stressful. I never know it is more complicated for us because we were born in China.
Home study process becomes more restrict after America joined Hague Adoption Convention in April 2008.
It is totally new to our local adoption agency for a couple born in China to start an international adoption. Our social worker couldn't understand why we don't have a birth certificate. What happened in China after 1949 that each family had a little book which listed who lives at this address and the relationship with the head of the house, gender, political status, position. Any new born was required to be registered into this book which was called "hukouben" or household registration system. No birth certificate was issued to a new born until maybe after 1980.
I heard that paper chase for home study and dossier is very stressful. I never know it is more complicated for us because we were born in China.
Home study process becomes more restrict after America joined Hague Adoption Convention in April 2008.
It is totally new to our local adoption agency for a couple born in China to start an international adoption. Our social worker couldn't understand why we don't have a birth certificate. What happened in China after 1949 that each family had a little book which listed who lives at this address and the relationship with the head of the house, gender, political status, position. Any new born was required to be registered into this book which was called "hukouben" or household registration system. No birth certificate was issued to a new born until maybe after 1980.
Paperchasing (2)
Our social work seems to be convinced eventually when I mentioned that we received our naturalization without birth certificates for the US government understand this history. However, we are told that we must provide her a child abuse clearance letter in order for the director to sign our home study report. Hague rules that anyone who is over 18 years old and lives anywhere over 6 months must submit this clearance letter by local authority.
I immediately contacted Chinese embassies in the US and one officer told me that I need to fly back to China and get it in person. We consider flying to China, but find out airfare is very expensive because of the Olympic Games in August in Beijing. No other suggestions were given by our agency, besides recommend us not to fly to China.
I called Chinese embassy at another location and was told that we can have relatives or friends get it for us.
I made a phone call to a residential office in Shanghai where we used to live before I ask my relative go there. A lady answered my phone showed her interests in the topic and discussed with me whether it should be moral or criminal issue. She thought it is a moral issue, then she won't provide me a child abuse clearance letter. She can issue me a criminal clearance letter. I asked if she would write me a note that indicates they don't have this kind of system. She said, "okay".
What a relief after many phone calls and days of frustration, I am excited. I gave her my address, then I am told we don't belong to her residential district, although my address is only one block away from her district. I have to call another place.
Oh, no. I have to start over again.
I immediately contacted Chinese embassies in the US and one officer told me that I need to fly back to China and get it in person. We consider flying to China, but find out airfare is very expensive because of the Olympic Games in August in Beijing. No other suggestions were given by our agency, besides recommend us not to fly to China.
I called Chinese embassy at another location and was told that we can have relatives or friends get it for us.
I made a phone call to a residential office in Shanghai where we used to live before I ask my relative go there. A lady answered my phone showed her interests in the topic and discussed with me whether it should be moral or criminal issue. She thought it is a moral issue, then she won't provide me a child abuse clearance letter. She can issue me a criminal clearance letter. I asked if she would write me a note that indicates they don't have this kind of system. She said, "okay".
What a relief after many phone calls and days of frustration, I am excited. I gave her my address, then I am told we don't belong to her residential district, although my address is only one block away from her district. I have to call another place.
Oh, no. I have to start over again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)