The Rest of the Story (or Now I Know Why - Part 5)

WOW!!!! God just keeps blessing the socks off of us!!!!!

It has been one roller-coaster of a ride

But GOD is faithful! 



(Prologue:  If you don't know what this is all about,

check out the blog links on the left: Our Journey - Parts 1 through 4)

After our paperwork got kicked back from the lockbox a second time, I called our USCIS Officer.  I told him what happened and he said not to worry, that he would see what he could do.  Well, he was able to work some magic on his end and got approval to process our paperwork anyway.  (Miracle #1)

He said that he would approve us as soon as he got the necessary papers on his desk, but that it could take a day or two.  That was Tue 1/25. 

I began to realize just how tight the timing was going to be.  You see, the CCAA closes for Chinese New Year from 2/2 through 2/8.  GWs birthday is 2/9.  We have to sign the adoption papers BEFORE 2/9 or it is too late.  As a result, we need our TA issued on or before 2/1. 

Assuming the worst case, our USCIS officer would not be able to approve us until Thur, our papers wouldn't make it to the National Visa Center until Friday and they wouldn't be able to cable our information until Monday.    The Consulate would have to process our Article 5 that day so our agency representative could pick it up and hand carry it to Beijing on 2/1.  Then, CCAA has to sign the TA then. 

WHEW!!!!  I was concerned that any other delays might create a huge problem for us.

So, I sent an e-mail to the Consulate and to NVC to make them aware of the upcoming paperwork and deadline.  They responded to me and assured me that everything would be expedited due to the nature of the case. 

God then reminded me of a distant relative who "happens" to be a retired US State Department employee.  So I called him and explained our predicament and asked if there was anything he could do.  He said it had been two years since he retired and that since the State Department moves people around regularly, he wasn't sure that he would be of any help.

Late Tue afternoon, our USCIS officer e-mailed me that he would have the needed papers on Wed morning!!!!!   (Miracle #2)

Later that evening, I received a call from my relative.  He explained that he had been able to make contact with a former colleague and ask if he knew anyone at the Guangzhou Consulate that could help us if needed. 

As God had pre-ordained many years ago, this former colleague was now himself stationed at the Guangzhou consulate!  (Miracle #3)

I knew right then and there that GOD was in FULL Control of this adoption and NOTHING would stop it.  (Yes, I had doubted before, but this sealed the deal for me)

But Satan was STILL trying his darndest to keep his hands on our son.  I got a phone call Wed morning from a different USCIS officer.  He told me that our officer was out sick that day.  While I had a moment of panic, the confirmation from God the night before kept me calm.  Our substitute officer asked me a few questions, needed one more piece of paper from our agency and was able to e-mail me our I-800 Pre Approvals by 1:00pm and overnight our package to the NVC.  He was even gracious enough to send me the tracking number so I would know exactly when it got to NVC.  (Miracle #4)

Thursday morning at 10:30, I saw that our package had been delivered to NVC. I called them and got through rather easily (Miracle #5)  I spoke with a wonderful lady there who asked for the tracking number and said she would get right on it.  She said it would most likely be later that evening or Friday morning before we were cabled.  I asked if I could call around 4pm and see how things were going and she said that was a good idea.

So, at 3:30 I started calling and got through right about 4pm.  I spoke to another very helpful lady who told me that we had just been cabled!!! (Miracle #6)  I profusely thanked her and hung up giddy with excitement. 

Friday morning, I was up early and checked my e-mail.  I had an e-mail timestamped 11:02pm Thursday night from my agency (who by the way has been ABSOLUTELY AWESOME throughout this whole process).  The first line in the e-mail was

We have your consulate appointment!



I nearly fell off of my chair! This meant that
1) the wonderful folks at the consulate processed our Article 5, (Miracle #7)
2) our agency was able to get that to the CCAA in Beijing (Miracle #8)
3) the CCAA issued our Travel Approvals, and (Miracle #9)
4) the consulate gave us our Consulate appointment (Miracle #10)


all in SEVEN HOURS!!!!!

I called our Senator's aide who had been helping us on Friday morning to tell her the good news.  Her words to me:

"You realize this is a miracle don't you!" 

I said, "Yes, I do!"

She then proceeded to tell me that she had been e-mailing people and leaving messages but had so far received NO REPLIES to any of them.  So, in my mind, there is no doubt who the "Higher Power" was that was expediting this adoption (and he doesn't live in Washington, DC) 

Oh, and on a side note - our paperwork did NOT get kicked back a second time. It turned out that the person our Senator's aide had talked to at the lockbox was talking about the FIRST (and only) time it got kicked back. They apparently didn't realize that we had already corrected it and sent it back and had been in their hands for four days when our Senator's aide called. But I believe that God used that misinformation to start the process that got all of this moving. Our papers did eventually make it out of the lockbox, but not until Thursday 1/27.

So, if there was ever any doubt that God is still in the Miracle business, I think this should be MORE than enough to put that doubt to rest.

This is my Memorial Box Monday post for this week.