One day, 420 miles, and God's favor

We've had a crazy two days. Yesterday began with the news that the Chinese consulate is now requiring Visa applicants to sign a declaration stating your location for the past 2 weeks. (Thank you swine flu.) We were also told that the Visa process itself will now take six days instead of four. So five Woodard declarations were signed and sent overnight to Washington DC. I think the express mail guy and Brian are becoming tight friends.

The next document we are waiting for from China is our official "Travel Approval". Once we have this, our Consulate appointment in China can be set, and our travel dates will in turn be set around that date. To make this important appointment, you must have a current I 171-H form. (Basically a paper stating that you are approved from the US side to adopt.) Our actual form is current, but our fingerprints are due to expire in 2 weeks. So... After an e-mail-a-thon with our agency yesterday we were basically told to go TOMORROW to try to be re fingerprinted (For the third time in two years I might add) and to ask for the paperwork to be expedited.

So this morning, Brian, Quinn and I left at 5:30 am for Charleston and the USCIS office. (Citizenship & Immigration) We began yesterday asking God to prepare the way before us, to prepare the heart of the one who would hear our "case" and to give us favor in every detail. So, OK, God showed up huge!

We did not have an official appointment, but "kind desk man" allowed us each to take a number to be fingerprinted. We waited for only 30 minutes and we were done! Before we left, Brian wanted to try one more time to speak with "kind desk man" and explain our situation. When Brian walked up to the window, another woman walked up at the exact same time. When Brian asked how we could possibly have our paperwork expedited, the woman asked to see us at the next window. This is when we met an angel in the flesh. She "just so happened" to be the immigration officer over adoption affairs!! If any one is familiar with this process, you know you CANNOT get a hold of anyone associated with the USCIS by phone, much less in person, and believe me, we have tried! She informed us that she was an adoptive mom as well, and understood the emotions we were feeling. She took our names and promised to handle our paperwork personally. She then gave us her contact information, which we have found is like gold in these government agencies. To her, we were people with a story, not just case numbers on a document.

I could barely hold in the "ugly sobbing cry" until we walked out of those doors! The thought of having to wait even one more day at this point because of a paperwork issue such as this was too much. God heard, and God showed Himself mighty on our behalf.

We were able to spend a little time relaxing before heading home to get the girls from school. We're exhausted, but so full of joy for how our Father intervened today!

One sleepy boy

At the Battery

Y'all gotta love the south

Battery Park

Ravenel Bridge

"Ah, Lord God! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You."
Jeremiah 32:17