God Answers All My Prayers

As you all can tell from the topics of the last couple of posts I broke out the box of concern many weeks ago about the lost of my tracking ticket for the I-600. Okay before you all flip to the next blog and say enough already I have some good news. The receipt for the I-600 came from the Department of Homeland Security TODAY.

As most of you know I work the night shift because of that I sleep after I work 3 days per week. I swear that my neighbors or anyone who happens to drive by or call on the telephone must think look at that lazy girl. I just know people think "She is always in her nightgown" or worst "That poor man he works 2 jobs so that she can sleep all day what a shame." After almost 10 years on the night shift I have gotten over it and actually think it is funny.

I almost never answer my house telephone because I mostly keep it turned off (except in one room on the other side of the house). I use my cell phone for most of my personal calls. I usually keep my cell phone on when I sleep anyone who has the number knows not to ever call me before noon unless I call them first. Know this is getting long but bare with me.

Today I turned off my cell phone to completely recharge it I know that is very mean. I slept perfectly (I have not been sleeping well during the day lately). I was awakened by Dottie. Yes that beautiful spotted dog in the picture. Anyone who knows Dottie knows that she refuses to be ignored. She stands on the bed barking and touching me gently with her paw. I woke up to find the reason why she waking me up was that the mailman was coming down the block. I think even she realizes that I am stalking the mailman. So I waited inside because I am sure that he has taken out an order of protection (Just kidding).

I walk to the mailbox and start flipping through the mail. I am thinking great here is my car payment, even better the gas bill, the life insurance bill and then I notice another letter. I felt like I was holding the Holy Grail. The letter from the Department of Homeland Security has arrived. Angels started singing, the clouds became puffy and the sun felt so warm (I live in the northeast). Actually none of that happened but any who. They got my I-600 and they are no longer keeping it a secret. A weight was lifted right at the point in time when I needed it the most. I have been so distraught over this and now I can breath. I am not too much a paper freak right (Don't answer that).

I know God will take care of me. This is his plan not mine. When the time is right I will get a referral and not a minute sooner. I am okay with that so far and I am not questioning any of that (Yet). I feel we all have lessons to learn and teach while here on this earth. Patience or trust must be what I need to learn more of before the baby comes.

I have become a personal shopper!

Since I did not have a ton of family for Thanksgiving Day and did not have to travel I was well rested for shopping. I set my alarm for 4:45am. The alarm went off but I was already up for about an hour waiting to get myself going. I think that was a gentle way of my body telling me that it is time to go back to work because I had the last 10 days off. Any who.

I got myself together and headed out to Wal-Mart first for black friday shopping. I did have a list of things that I wanted that were on sale mostly for me. I called into work because no one else is up at that hour to find out one of my friends wanted a GPS for her car. I told her she did not have a chance for it if she was going after work. I told her I would see if I could get one for her.

Honestly, I did not think I was going to get any of the things on my list because it was after 5:oo am when I left home. To my surprise I got everything on my list. See I have many list going at one time. Most of the things on my list center around things I think I will need once the baby is here or for trip #1 or #2. The one thing that I wanted but did not think I would get was a portable DVD player for 49.99 with the carry case. I also wanted a couple of SD cards for my camera and for the camcorder that is also on my list. Well check those things off the list plus some things for family members that I can not mention now.

Next I was off for a camcorder at either Best Buy, Circuit City or Sears. I had to drive about 40 minutes south to where all of these stores are located. I thought for sure that there was no way I was going to get a deal on one of these camcorders. Well ladies and gentlemen not only did I get one but I got two.

See I waited in the line at Best Buy without even seeing the camera because the store was that crazy. I asked the salesperson to give me the details on the camcorder and she did. Here I am thinking great this is exactly what I wanted and all for under $350.00. Then my beautiful bubble was burst by the man who rang me up (No SD card for still pictures in this camera).

Bummed I went to Sears no camcorders left in my price range. Then I thought let me at least try at Circuit City. To my surprise they not only had 1 but 3 camcorders left. So I called another friend who was looking for a camcorder. The phone rang and no answer I wavered slightly thinking I should get two of them for a grand total of 3 camcorders and then said no I can not be doing this what if she really does not want it.

Now I get back into the car with a grand total of 2 camcorders one with 34X zoom from Circuit City for $262.12 for with the 5 DVD disks and the 2 GB SD card. I am feeling pretty good now I only have to return the other camera. But something is telling me look at the camera first. So that is what I did and guess what it does have the slot for a memory stick pro duo. I liked this camera better because of it has 40X zoom plus 10 mini DVDs and the camera bag fro 319.00. After looking at both and playing with them I decided to keep the one from Best Buy.

Back to the car once again and yes I still have 2 camcorders.
I had to work Friday night so I told myself I will return the camera next week. Fast forward a couple of hours to about 5:00 pm remember my friend who worked Thanksgiving Day she calls me to tell me she wished she had picked up the phone she really wanted that camcorder. That is when I tell her my tale we both start laughing as she is going to buy the camera from me. I think it is funny how things just work out for the best. I got the holiday off and the people who worked got the door breaker deals that they wanted. I now have become a personal shopper.

Happy Thanksgiving one day late! Plus good news about the I-600!

This year Thanksgiving was a bit unusual for us. In years past I have spent most of my time preparing Thanksgiving dinner with many different family members at my home. This year Gerard and I decided that we needed to spend the time together alone. So that is what we did. With the exception of visiting my mother and older sister in the morning to see Bentley her new dog that is exactly what we did.

When Gerard and I were first dating I would make us Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday and we would spend it together. Then each of us would go our separate ways on Thanksgiving Day. He would drive to Brooklyn and I would spend the day with my family. My nieces and nephews were all little then and now most of them are all grown up. As their Aunt I could not wait for them to come or for me to get to them. We would talk and play around I just love hearing about their days at school or other activities. It was always a ton of fun. I know that they may never realize just how much I love them but I do try to show them every chance I get.

I remember pulling out the sale papers and looking through them cover to cover with them. At that point I was always broke because I was in school. The sale papers were more of a wish list then anything else. Now things are different in both good and bad ways. My nieces and nephews are all grown up and I am not their center focus anymore that is the sad part. The good part is that the sale papers are not only for wishing anymore. (More about that tomorrow)

For me it was really nice to have Gerard all to myself this holiday. See we both have to work holidays but I have been lucky to have Thanksgiving off for many years in a row (Insert hugs and kisses to my friends at work who do not mind working this holiday). I know it may make me sound a little psycho but I love spending time with him and we just do not get enough time together alone. We tease and joke about everything most of the day. This may be our last set of holidays with out a little one running around so I intend on enjoying this special time with him.

Okay enough of that on to the good news about the I-600. As many of you know I lost the tracking ticket for the package sent to the Department of Homeland Security (INS) that had our I-600, cashier's check and home study in it. No I still have not found it yet but do not worry I am sure it is very safe. I said to myself I just have to know if they got the package.

I thought to myself the other day ‘ask the bank if they can track the cashier's check.’ Well the answer to that is they can! The cashier's check was cashed on November 14, 2007 what a glorious day. I do have to say that I am glad that I did not think of this earlier because it was 3 weeks from the time I sent the package to time when the check was cashed. I know I would have been even crazier if I knew that.

So all is well here in New Jersey. Dottie got an extra helping of turkey that made her really tired. That is the funny part because anyone who knows Dottie knows that she is never any farther then about 2 feet away from me. She slept through the night and well into the morning. P.S. Joy Babe it is not mean to feed her turkey just because it makes her sleep.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

My INS Problem is Very Small

First I would like to apologize to everyone for complaining about the lost of my tracking receipt for the I-600 to the USCIS. I find it amazing everyday how God intervenes in your life. No I have not heard anything from INS or found the receipt in order to track the package but my problem pales in comparison to Tommi-Lynn Sawyers problem.

See the weekends Gerard tries not to work extra so yesterday he went to the bagel store to get breakfast and the paper on his way home from work. I find it amazing that he does actually listen when I am upset. I have been very upset all week because of the news about CHI. He gently nods his head and tells me it will be okay. That is what I love about him. The front cover of the paper highlighted a news article about adoption. This article features a single woman who lives in a town near us who is in the middle of adopting from Vietnam.

Tommi-Lynn Sawyer is a single woman who lives in New Jersey who along with a couple of other families who needs our prayers. Apparently after Tommi-Lynn and these other families went to Vietnam and bonded with their child the USCIS told them they could not bring them home. A Notice of Intent to Deny was issued before they came home.
How could this happen? I feel very sad for these families. I have linked the article to this post so that you all can read it for yourselves. I have also linked a website that was formed to help these families be reunited. They are asking that we contact our political officials to help their cause.

I am asking that you please keep these families in your prayers.

Joy

Article Website
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/cumberland/story/7517422p-7416648c.html

Bring Eden Home Website
http://www.bringedenhome.com

Nothing New

Well,
I have not heard anything from the USCIS about our I-171h. I hope to hear from them soon so that I can continue with the next steps of the process. I have to say I am surprising myself and Gerard as to how good I have been about the wait. Usually I am an instant gratification girl. I like to just get things planned and then done as soon as I think of them. One of the things that keeps going through my mind is I wonder if my child is born yet. See this is something that I do not know yet. I can only hope and pray that if little bean is born that someone is caring about him or her right now. So that is my pray to God tonight.

Dear God,
Please watch over my little one. Let him or her know that I am doing everything I can to get him or her home as soon as possible. Thank you for letting everything fall into place for us.
Love Me.

I am off for Thanksgiving this year but I have to work on Christmas Eve. I have to say I do not mind working Christmas Eve this year because I am hoping to be off for next year and maybe Little Bean will be home. The holidays seem to come so fast. I hope that I will have some news about the I-171h before Christmas.

Tracking and Confirmation

I know that earlier this month I vowed to only post positive things about my adoption. Well, I will now be breaking that promise. I have tried to be very organized about keeping these papers straight. Here is my problem, I sent in the I-600 to Homeland Security. I paid the extra money for the tracking and confirmation. I was thinking to myself this is a good thing because I will know that the letter got there and have some peace of mind.

It was a good plan and if I were to do this again I would only change one part of that plan. I would not have LOST the tracking number. That is right I lost it. I remember seeing it in my hand and thinking to myself I need to put this in a safe place until I get home. Well, it is in a really safe place. So safe that I can not even find it.

So then you say well you will know that they have received your paperwork once they cash the check for the application and the fingerprints. Yes that would be true EXCEPT I thought ‘I bet it is faster if I send a cashier’s check.’ Good thought Joy it will not matter that you sent a cashier's check if they do not get the application.

So here is my dilemma, I still have not heard from the Department of Homeland Security. Apparently once you receive you receipt number you can somewhat track its progress from what I understand. I have been looking at the mailbox waiting and hoping. The mailman thinks I am crazy; luckily for me he is a family friend and knows that I am not a stalker.

I know that I am thinking a little irrationally right now. I bet tomorrow I will get some sort of word that they did receive the I-600 and this worry will be filed away. I just can not wait to file this one away. I know the minute I get the approval I will find that tracking receipt. If I do I am going to sign on and find out the date that the Department of Homeland Security got the I-600. I think in a crazy way it will be funny to know that I spent all this time worrying about nothing.

Adoption is a test of patience which is good practice for becoming a mother. I know that I need to let go and let God handle it as my mother would say. See mom I do listen to you. This is also a little test to see if you are reading this blog.

National Adoption Month

I would like to thank all the people who have acknowledged the fact that this is National Adoption Month. This month I hope to be able to post positive information about adoption and my adoption in particular. I have decided to take time out of my day to pray for my fellow bloggers who have adopted or are in the process of adoption.

Of course accreditation has not come for many adoption agencies that are looking to help families’ complete Russian adoption. Accreditation will allow for more children to find their forever homes. I have a feeling that many of the people whose blogs I read will be getting a referral very soon.

I have read on the Dave Thomas web site about how to approach your employer to assist with some of the costs related to adoption. I work for a large healthcare system in New Jersey. I hope that if I am not able to convince them to help me then maybe I can convince them to change the policy for others.

Well, I have lots to do tonight. Big letters to write and information to find to support my cause. I think I like to purple background.

Yesterday I received the notarized copy of my home study agencies license from the State. Now the only document that I am waiting for is the I-171. Here's to waiting.

Tagged!

I have been tagged. I guessed that eventually it would happen. My friend Anita is the one who passed this task to me. Anita is a fellow blogger who is planning to adopt an older child domestically.

So here are the rules for being tagged.

Rules: Once tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you. Then post the rules before your list, and list 8 random things about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag and link to 8 other people, visit their sites, and leave a comment letting them know they’ve been tagged.

1. I love to go to the beach but I burn extremely easily. I do not swim very well but love to be in the ocean.

2. I am scared to become a mother. I have wanted to become a mother for as long as I can remember but what if I am not a good mother. What if I do not I do not show my child enough love or understanding.

3. I am one of those people who try to practice what I preach. I think I give too much advice and I think that annoy people.

4. I love all things handmade. I like to figure out how things are made and try to recreate them.

5. My friends laugh at me because I always have a calculator very close by. I am constantly adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing numbers.

6. I love to read books while driving. Just making sure that everyone is still awake. I listen to them as I drive. My drive to work is about 30 minutes so I spend this time listening to books. My friends think this is funny. Gerard laughs at me he said it is not possible to read a book while driving but I say it is.

7. I love china. Gerard jokes that I have enough china for 150 people to come to dinner. The funny thing is that he is probably right.

8. I love to decorate my house I am always on the look out for new things to put out. When I say new I usually mean new to me. I love all things old and well wore. This drives Gerard crazy but I just can not help it.

Now I have to pass this task off to others. I am tagging Becky, Rachel, Debbie, Carey and Suz