S left at 7 am monday for hartford to get the I797 certified and then onto new york to get it authenticated. he got home just before 8 pm with news that the consulate no longer authenticates for next day pick-up. he would have to wait to pick up that last document on wednesday.
OH GOD! YOU ARE AMAZING! YOU KNEW WHAT WOULD BE AND HAVE MADE IT SO THAT WE WOULD BE PROTECTED AND PROVIDED FOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WISDOM.
why would we be so excited by waiting another day? tuesday there was an earthquake that had the city evacuating buildings. it screwed up mass transit and commuting out of the city. if the consulate was still processing next day, S would have been involved in that mess. he was able to go back on wednesday and pick up the completed I797.
i worked into the wee hours of the morning compiling the documents, photocopies of passports, and family lifestyle photos. thursday morning i worked on them some more for a couple of hours. we drove out to fedex on thursday afternoon and over nighted them to texas.
whew! out of our hands. they would arrive friday morning, get processed next wednesday and be sent to China on friday.
PRAISE GOD! YOU DID IT! YOU PUT THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHO WERE WILLING TO BE AVAILABLE TO HELP US EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS, IN OUR LIVES. WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL.
imagine my surprise when the adoption agency called today to say that the dossier was accepted and that all we need is for our homestudy agency to fax a copy of their license to the adoption agency and it will be sent to China tonight! she said we win the speedy gonzales trophy for setting a new record for completing a dossier in less than three months. WHAT? it is leaving tonight? i thought it would be next week.
i cried....then laughed....then praised God. i feel so good that the dossier is safe and out of the way of hurricane irene barreling towards us this weekend.
then a small voice whispered "your agent isn't at work today."
i thought "come again? what? she isn't there? no, everything is fine."
the thought niggled at me for several minutes. OK i will call and check. this is how the conversation went.
agency secretary: hello?
me: hello, is karen in the office?
agency secretary: no, she is gone for the day.
me: WHAT? how about her supervisor?
secretary: no, everyone is at a conference for the day and aren't expected back until monday.
me: (my response is shortened because i was begging and rambling) she has to come in, we NEED the license. this could screw everything up. we could miss our deadline. can you help me?
secretary: no, i can't help you. i don't know where the license is. you will have to wait.
me: (more lengthy begging and pleading....) can you call someone? someone HAS to know where it is.
secretary: well, i could try. give me your info and the fax number.
me: please please please help us. God bless your weekend.
we hung up. i started praying.
really? a simple copy of an agency license could take us down? oooo, evil-you are a jerk! you have no business here. be gone. God will fix this.
ten minutes later i got a call back from the secretary.
secretary: i have the license. i am faxing it now.
me: really? you are amazing. thank you so much(gushing and complimenting-i'll spare you) God bless you.
about 30 minutes later the adoption agency emailed saying they received the fax and our dossier will be on a plane bound for China tonight.
YIPPEE!
the dossier will be in China by monday morning.
sigh! peace and provision. nothing is sweeter. trust in the Lord. nothing is more important. knowing we're not alone. nothing is more comforting.
of course, i am still praying for another family that is in the same boat as us trying to beat the dreaded deadline and waiting on their I797. please help me lift them up in prayer.
GOD ALMIGHTY, YOU HAVE HEARD OUR PLEAS AND HELPED US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. YOU HAVE MOVED OUR MOUNTAINS. WE THANK YOU, PRAISE YOU, AND GLORIFY YOU. PLEASE BRING THE PELLEY'S THEIR I797 AND HELP THEM GET THEIR DOSSIER TO CHINA BEFORE THE DEADLINE. THEIR LITTLE GUY IS WAITING ON YOUR PROVISION. GIVE THEM PEACE AND COMFORT KNOWING YOU HAVE THIS COVERED-YOU ARE AT WORK-MAKING ALL WELL. IN CHRIST'S HOLY NAME. AMEN.