How can it be?

How can it be, that I am still waiting for our FBI criminal clearance? Since we submitted our fingerprints, we have completed two home study visits. Our immigration application was sent to USCIS, our homestudy was approved, it was then approved by SC DSS, it has made its way over to immigration to be married with our immigration application... and STILL NO CLEARANCE. I have called the office several times, and if I'm lucky enough to get a person on the line, I get several responses. My fingerprints were received on Sept 29th. Ok, great. It is now over a month later. Another time I called, they said they were received on Sept. 29th, and they were entered for processing on October 16th. Can someone tell me what the difference is between being received and being entered for processing? Neither date means that they are being processed, because someone kindly told me that they still have not been processed? This week, a lady told me that she was putting our information up the chain of command to get them done, because they were for an adoption. She said someone would contact me that same day or the following day. That was yesterday. When I called yesterday, they said they didn't know what I was talking about and no one called me because they probably didn't have the information to call me.... What information? My phone number???? Because it's all over the application and the personal letter I wrote them explaining the need to get these done quickly. MULTIPLE modes of contact were given to them. They then asked me if I indicated on my paperwork that it was for an adoption? Ummm.... YES!!! They asked me if I put a deadline on there? Ummm... YES!!! A lot of good that did me. My deadline was 2 weeks. It has been almost 5 weeks. She could only tell me that they were still not processed. BUT... I was welcome to call back and check on them at any time. FOR WHAT???? I don't want to call and check on them. I want them done! I want the whole world to know I am not a criminal and committed no heneous crime. Actually, I don't care if the whole world knows, I just care that I can prove it to my agency who can then prove it to Ethiopia. Then the question... do I have a child waiting? What difference does it make? I would have loved to have lied and told them yes if I thought it would get me my documents sooner, but that would be wrong and I would just encounter some other road block because I'm convinced God is in control of this. So, I did the right thing. I told them the truth. I said I do not have a child waiting at this time, but the child that is waiting for me, is dependent on this document. That truth probably added another two weeks to my wait time :) Oh well. Sometimes I wonder though - am I being impatient, or is this something that I should be pressing and pursuing? I was not rude to the lady.... I probably did sound impatient, but I feel like I'm being given the run around, and at some point I felt like I was lied to... the whole going through the chain of command and helping me get it done. Even that lady said that adoption applications should be handled quicker. But there seems to be no evidence that anything was done on our behalf. So, we continue to wait.


I have two outstanding documents... this and our immigration approval. Should we place a friendly wager on what will come first? My fingerprint appointment for immigration or the fingerprint clearance I sent in over a month ago? One would think the fingerprint clearance. My guess.... the fingerprint appointment for immigration. I truly hope I am wrong!

I guess I am done complaining though. I'm looking forward to this weekend. The kids and I are going to have a weekend of fun activities. Tim is leaving again for a week on Saturday, so we will be having fun on our own again, but still we will be having fun. Cameron has football again on Saturday. After that, in the evening we will head over to the White's for pizza and then trick or treating with the kids! It will be fun to do that with friends. Sunday the kids and I are making a neat project. My friend Charlene is going to come over and make some things with us as well! It should be fun. I'll post pictures when I am done. They are a neat pumpkin project.... late for this year's halloween decorations, but EARLY for next year!!! 364 days early to be exact :)

The kids and I are going to try some new recipes while Tim is gone. We are going to do some baking and who knows what other fun stuff we will do. If our recipes are good, we will try them out on Tim when he gets home :)

Watch for pictures of the kids in their halloween costumes! I really hope they have a good time!

In Christ,
Charity