Citizenship & Immigration Papers Resent Today

Hey Folks!

Our homestudy update was finally received......after a nice, long talk with the executive director of our home study agency. After we got that, I added the other necessary documents (that we had ready) and sent the whole kit and kaboodle to the Atlanta office of the CIS. We should be fine on the deadline, our document doesn't expire until May 16. So, hopefully, they will get it a good month before the deadline.

There is one small matter of concern that you could feel free to pray about. It is nothing major, but could just cause more hassles....um work for us. Since our original homestudy was completed, we have moved; that is part of the reason we did the update in the first place. But, I'm not sure if I needed to do anything special with our paperwork that we sent off today to reflect that (it is reflected in the update). I asked our adoption coordinator with our placement agency, and she wasn't sure, and apparently didn't feel the need to check on it and get back with me. Her advice to me was to email the Atlanta office (and then let her know). I did that last week. I got a generic automated response, but I still have not received any other email. From what I gathered on the CIS website, you only need to fill out extra paperwork if your status is pending, and our status is approved, it's just about to expire. I couldn't find any information that matched our scenario. So, my decision was to go ahead and send our documentation, and if there is something else needed, hopefully they will let me know and I can still get it to them by our deadline next month. I sincerely hope that doesn't come back to bite me, but I felt better about everything being there, than waiting on an answer that I may never receive.

If all goes as planned we should get the "one time free extension" and another appointment to do our fingerprints, as they have expired. Then, we should be able to sit back and wait again.

You may have noticed that I've added a song to Malagan's blog. In fact, it should be playing for your listening enjoyment even now, as you read. (I suppose it's only fitting since the name of the blog is Malagan's Song.) This song was playing on a friend of mine's blog during a time when she was waiting. One day, the words just popped out at me. I had heard it a thousand times, but finally, really caught the first few lines of the lyric. It says, "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord." So, now that has become our adoption waiting theme song. Not only because we are waiting on the Lord, but because it goes on to say that the Lord himself is the defender of the weak, and the comforter to those in need. I ask you, who is more weak and needy than my little Malley, and all those like her. I will trust Him to hold her and the others in his arms until I can hold her in mine. He does not faint and he does not grow weary, even when I do.

EVERLASTING GOD:
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
Our God You reign forever
Our Hope our strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
The everlasting God
The everlasting God.