Lilypie
Not flesh of my flesh
nor bone of my bone
but still miraculously my own.

Never forget for a single minute
you didn't grow under my heart
but in it!


Tuesday, October 16, 2007

I-600A Was Approved Today

My I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition) was approved today and forwarded to the National Visa Center. As soon as I receive the "approval letter" in the mail I will fax it to my agency. My agency will then send it to my attorney in Guatemala to continue to proceed with my case.

My application had been "approved" a couple months ago, but the "official" approval couldn't be processed until October 11th when my divorce was final. When the "adoption coordinator" at USCIS shared the news with me that she couldn't approve it until October 11, she saw how devastated I was. So she gave me her personal office line after making me promise that I wouldn't share it with anybody else and stated that I could fax her the final certificate on October 11th and she would immediately approve my application. So, the plan was to get my final divorce certificate on October 11th and then fax it to the USCIS worker who would immediately approve the application and then I would be done with my I-600A. So my plan was in place.

On October 11th I took the day off from work and went to the Taunton probate court to get my divorce certificate. There was a sign on the door of the courthouse stating that they had moved to Fall River! Nothing's easy! So I called the phone number and got directions to the Fall River courthouse. I attempted to follow the directions but managed to get brutally lost. After driving around and pleading for help from a kind man on the phone at the courthouse, I finally found my way. When I arrived, I proceeded to the entrance only to find out that the fire alarms were going off and they wouldn't let anybody enter the building! Just my luck! I really began stressing because I had to get home to take care of Gracie's and Riley's new puppies that had been born only three days earlier. I finally got in, got my certificate, and made a call to my contact at the USCIS. Another lady answered the phone and I explained the situation and she stated that my contact no longer worked there and that a fax was not acceptable! Again, I have the worst luck! I explained the story and pleaded with her. She said she would make a determination next week (the week of the 15th). I hadn't heard from her, so I called her today to follow-up. She said she would call me back shortly. She called me back and stated that my application was approved. I think she rushed it through because she was sick of hearing from me! But at least I am one step closer to bringing Gabriella home.

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