Well, here it is December and we thought our son would have been home for 6 months by now! I guess that is what we get for "planning" in an adoption! It has been a rough few weeks but we seem to be turning the corner with some of our struggles in bringing him home.
The Thailand airport is suppose to re-open Dec. 5th. (Which means with the time change it should be open now) We will continue to pray to God that we can get in country and out before the possibility of more trouble arises.
We spent the last 2 1/2 weeks chasing papers that were to be mailed from our agency to USCIS, almost from one side of the country to the other. First, it couldn't be delivered due to being a P.O. Box and sat in the mail room for 1 week before being mailed back. Then right before the holiday was mailed from our agency but was "lost" by the mail service of choice and never moved out of that state till a week later when we asked about it! UGGGGGHHHH I am so thankful I have been obsessed following this case otherwise we would be losing even more time.
So it arrived at USCIS on Wed, yesterday and now needs to move through their mailroom to be checked for anthrax, bombs, etc..... (of course, because adoptive families are so suspicious, as if we haven't been fingerprinted and checked out enough!) Then our case worker can move forward with it.
I would appreciate prayers that it ends up in her hands tomorrow, Friday and she is able to approve us and we can truly move forward next week.
Our agency did indicate attempting to make it to one of the January meetings so it will be either the 14th or 28th that we will be there, God willing!! I personally vote for the 14th for many reasons, but most importantly is we would be with our son for his b-day--in Thailand which would be so special. It would just be Mama, Papa and him, so personal and special for his first b'day with us!! In the orphanage, they celebrate all the kids born in that month on one day with one cake. We would be able to make it SO much more for him.
We received our papers from Thailand that are needed to complete our 2nd step for USCIS (our government)!!
Thank you God! Thailand has been right on the ball with our case and indicated to our agency that they are very excited for us to travel and get our son. I don't think about the fact that if it weren't for OUR government struggles, he could have been home for Christmas. :(( But then the next prayer request would have been an even bigger problem~
That brings us to the nitty gritty money needed issue. A blessing of not traveling until January is that airfare will be lower, so total needed will be lower. Papa worked Thanksgiving bringing in extra money as well as he sold a guitar pedal. I have researched and called/emailed any groups affiliated with our church to see about grants/donations. Please pray for 2 possibilities I have found that might be able to help. We continue to work on the Papa Murphy's Fundraiser as well.
Please pray that we are able to raise the funds needed and go get in January as hoped for! Our guy has been waiting much too long for a family and we want him home!
Thank you for all your prayers and for helping us on this journey~
M
