We are NOT giving up or walking away from anything.
I am going to fight with every ounce of my being to rectify this situation.
The fear and anxiety I was (am) feeling came from reading the following words written to me by our agency:
"We are unsure of whether or not you can continue with this adoption. We don't know when we will have this information. You can update and fill out the paperwork, but there is a chance that you may be denied". That sentence is what made my heart skip a beat and made my weekend one long stress fest.
You are all right about one thing:
Our paperwork in China is fine. According to China, we are good to go.
The problem lies in the paperwork we have to file here in the U.S. We must meet the requirements of the USCIS(United States Citizenship and Immigration Services), under the new Hague convention, in order to bring our child back into the states.
One if the requirements of the USCIS is:
That you must currently meet the requirements of the country from which you are adopting.
Therein lies the problem. We do not currently meet the requirements of the country from which we are adopting.
And even though China has told us we are grandfathered in, the U.S. can decide how literally they want to take that one sentence.
I have been all over the internet trying to find some facts, but all I have found is rumors and conflicting information. Some agencies are reporting that people have been turned down.
Others are saying everything should be fine.
I would feel much better if our agency was telling us that everything was going to be fine. But they're not.
Our placement agency told us not to worry. But they only handle the China side. They have nothing to do with the U.S. paperwork.
The whole thing is confusing, and scary. But we will move forward with the paperwork update and I will continue to do research and see what I can do to make sure that we are not denied.
In the meantime, we're going to live our lives. So much of my life has been wasted worrying about stuff I have no control over.
Not this time. As another wise blogger (and friend) recently said : Life is too short.
Thank you so much for all of your comments. They truly do help.
11 comments:
I'm in the same boat. I don't meet the new requirements either. I'm single. Even if I got married tomorrow I still wouldn't qualify since I'd need to be married for 5 YEARS!
The US isn't gonna eliminate all the singles that are already in line. Not to mention all the other folks who don't qualify under the new rules.
Don't worry. It'll work out. :)
You have to keep fighting.. It will all work out.. dont stress.. I cant' have both of us stressing! He he..
love you girl!
You are amazing girl! I LOVE your fight and with that will come fruition...Sophie. I'm fighting with you and if you need anything, please let me know. I can't wait to see you on Sunday.
I am SO sorry. Hang in and see it through. I'll be praying for you.
They are so screwed up right now I would just submit everything and pretend you didn't know there could be a problem. Hopefully they won't even catch it!
Good luck-you have a GREAT attitude about this:)
Keep the faith. Things will work out. I will keep Sophie's momma and dada in my thoughts and prayers.
Hugs
Lisa
As you know, we recently found out that we were disqualified from adoption in China because of the requirement about being married 5 years and our agency's screw up in telling us 3 years (we've both been married 1x before).
They've switched us over to the Korean adoption program...which only refers boy babies to childless couples...and we wanted a girl so bad. Right now, we are awaiting an answer to verify if we truly qualify for this program as well (age requirements when wife is older than husband is the question). They say it may be 2 weeks before we hear. It's AGONY!!
Plus we have to lose weight to meet Korea's staunch guidelines about BMI/Weight of parents. It's a never ending battle it seems.
So I'm right there with you, waiting...worrying..wondering. Hoping, dreaming...at the mercy of these agencies, laws, rules, red tape.
Will keep you guys in our prayers too. Hope you hear something positive soon.
*HUGS*
I don't have anything I can add, but I really wanted to share a virtual hug. I'm sorry.
Oh gosh Michelle, how scary. You have been logged in so long I just can't see how they could change anything. They shouldn't, especially when China is all fine with everything. Ugh, I am sending you good thoughts and prayers that this will be water under the bridge very soon and the process will speed up so you can bring your little one home very soon.
Michelle, I hope that everything works out with your update. That must have been so scary to hear that last line from the agency. I hope that it meant nothing and that everything goes smoothly. You've waited way too long to have a glitch happen now. Hang in there...I'll be thinking about you and Joe.
Best,
Teena
My heart dropped when I read your previous e-mails. Surely you and everyone else are good to go. I haven't heard otherwise either. Hang in there...and plug away. My social worker once told me that you need to fight tooth and nail for your child. It all hits us different ways, but we need to persue and do whatever it takes to bring our child home.
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