Thank You and Positive Thoughts

I want to thank so many people in the blogworld, in my family and friends, and from my agency for support, kindness, and hard work on our behalf. One great paradox is how the most difficult times yeild these blessings of love and generosity that renew faith in what is beautiful about life.

We will not give up on Daniel, and I have to believe that he will come home to us in the next months.

Families from my agency are getting their approvals. This is such wonderful news (some people have been waiting to bring their children home since their referrals last summer)! It is hard to get a count of actually how many approvals have come this week for my agency, but there have been more than 10, and up to this week there had only been 2. What a positive direction this week has taken for the families in my agency. Some of the approvals were dated much earlier (like December), and I have to wonder what would keep the government from waiting so long to send them...three months approved but not sent! It could be just a typing mistake, or it could be that there are serious deliberate or not deliberate paperwork issues happening in the US offices in VN. I guess it is silly to speculate. Either way, I just wish the process was more standardized, organized and transparent so we could all know what to expect next.

Unfortunately, there is still at least one family who got an acknowledgement letter in November (20) and has been placed on indefinite hold, like we are, because of the Tu Du letter. They are, rightfully, overwrought, having watched their child literally grow up in pictures without any clear knowledge about what is going to happen next. My hope is that the sweeping generalizations made by CIS about paperwork because of a LACK of information (not fraud) will be a red flag to many of the politicians who have been contacted. We really need their help holding CIS and Dept. of State accountable. Those organizations should not be allowed to make these many children collateral damage for the sake of the process. These are children. If the objective of Orphans First is to protect children, then child welfare has to be its outcome, not preservation of the process (that seems to be uncovering little evidence of fraud but is surely keeping many children institutionalized for far longer than they should be).

I believe that my government will help us. Although I do not always believe that our government is perfect, I believe in the ideals of a representative democracy where good people will work for the people they represent. I believe my representatives will help my family.

I also believe that the good objectives of Orphans First will eventually win out over the mechanism monster that seems to be driving everything now. I think people who will be applying for I600 approvals in the coming months will have a much better experience.

Today is day 48 waiting for I600 approval. I should have been getting some determination within the next 12 days. I do not expect that to happen now, but I am still thankful:
1) for the innate goodness of people 2) for personal e-mails from staffers of representatives in response to my inquiries instead of the form letters I got at first 3) that all children are designed by our creator to be loved 4) that stores of love grow the more it is given it away 5) for every minute with Scott 6) for the losses I have had that have given me strength 7) that Spring Break is in a week 8) that Scotty loves books 9) for rice crispy treats 10) that a friend waiting for her child at Daniel's orphanage has a friend who is going to visit them soon 11) for the colors in a sunrise 12) for approvals for new friends who will have the miraculous moment of holding their babies in their arms very soon.

Day 48. 12 days until 60.