I-800 and Article 5, DONE!

I think I'm just going to have to accept the fact that once a month updates are about as good as it's going to get right now.  I don't know where June has gone, and July is going to be even more insane.  

We do have some fantastic news on the adoption front, though, and it deserves to be recorded!  We got our I-800 in the mail last Saturday (June 15).  We had been waiting about a month for that, so I was thrilled to have it in hand so that I could complete the next step, and the last bit of paperwork on our side of things for a while.  As soon as I had that (and I mean that literally), I scanned it and our DS-230 application to email to the embassy in New Delhi.  The I-800 gives us permission from USCIS to bring JP into the country.  The embassy will be issuing her visa to us when we are there.  They would have gotten my email on Monday morning, I sent a second request on Wednesday (their suggestion after waiting two business days), and I woke up this morning (Friday) to Article 5 in my inbox!  If only every piece of paperwork could be done so quickly via email!  

That means we are finally able to join the queue for ARC approval in her state.  We have not heard promising things from others who have waited in this state, but we have also heard that the head of CARA recently made a trip to "encourage" the committee to move things along.  Our acquaintance who had been waiting a super long time got her approval yesterday.  I'm hoping that means we're getting in line at the right time, when things are starting to gain momentum.  Our agency has not had families wait longer than four months for approval, but none of them were in our state.  We're just hoping and praying that this part moves forward efficiently and without any hold ups.  Once we get past state and federal level approvals and are granted NOC (No Objection Certificate), they cannot assign JP to another Indian family.  Our agency has a great relationship with the RIPA, so I don't see that happening, but it would still be nice to have it in writing.  It's not like any part of this journey has been predictable!

There are several other unexpected changes happening simultaneously that I've saved for the private blog, but let it just be said that this month and the coming month are bursting at the seams.  I'll be in Moldova two weeks from today, and at this point, I'm just praying I remember to pack everything... and take my suitcase to the airport.  What a wild ride!  I'm literally overwhelmed by blessings (Can you see my eye twitching and hear my hysterical laughter?).  At this point, I have no clue what's coming next, but I'm just going to throw my hands in the air and enjoy the ride.  He certainly knows what He's doing!