I800 Approval!!

We finally have it!  After much difficulty and major stress we finally got our I800 approval. We had to threaten to get our Senator involved to get things done.  I could go into all the details but suffice it to say we had the stereo typical government experience.  Funny thing, we did end up getting our senator's office involved. They have been fantastic! If all goes well we may have our Article 5 by the end of next week.

For those that don't know the process we have to submit for approval for the children to come to the US.  That is the I800 process.  Once that is issued the approval is sent to the National Visa Center or NVC.  They typically take a week or so to cable or email the consulate in China a letter that gives them the go ahead to process our case.  Our agency submits another form to the consulate with a copy of the same letter from the NVC. Exactly 2 weeks later the Article 5 is picked up from the consulate and mailed to the Chinese government for travel approval or TA.  TA's are taking anywhere from 2-6 weeks to get.  We then can book flights and leave for China no less than 2 weeks from receipt of our TA. 

Now, in getting our senator's office involved we may have sped this process up by quite a bit.  Our liaison at the senator's office is being so good and may help us to make up for a little time that has been lost over the last 10 months of struggle. This is all in hopes that we can travel in September.  If the TA doesn't come in time then we will have to go in October or November.  October is not an option because the Chinese government as well as the consulate are closed the first week of October then the last 3 weeks is the international trade show.  The trade show pushes all the travel prices up so the cost would be too much.  The biggest reason we can't go in October is for Olivia.  We will be eligible to have her adoption finalized mid October and I can not send a message to her that these children are more important than she is.  She deserves far better than that.  I want her to know that she is loved beyond anything she has ever experienced before and we will make whatever sacrafice is needed to show her that.  To put travel off until November would be a very BIG sacrifice.

I have a favor to ask everyone.  Please put us in your prayers.  We are expecting a miracle and need all the power we can get.  We feel that September is when we are to go to China.  But many things still need to happen and so many obstacles could be put in our way.  We are hopeful and exercising faith and works to get this done.  When this happens there will be no denying that the Lord is in charge and he is God.  What a testimony this will be to any who know international adoption, including someone at our agency that has not been real positive the last couple of days. Everyone will see that there is a greater force out there that goes beyond mortals.  I am excited to see this miracle come about and to be trusted with such a great testimony of the love of our Father in Heaven.