Another fingerprinting snafu

I guess we aren’t too good with the fingerprints.  We have already had one fingerprinting snafu in this adoption…and now we have another one.

We were notified on 11/30 that our i800a application had been received on 11/21 by USCIS.  When we finally got our fingerprint appointment for our biometric fingerprints in Atlanta, we weren’t too happy about the timing.

Our appointment is supposed to be at 8:00 a.m. on December 26th.  And we live 1 1/2 hours away.  That doesn’t really fit with our Christmas plans, know what I mean?

So we decided to walk in early, as we have been told we can do.  I posted some questions on the Lifeline facebook page and it sounded like people have been able to walk in both morning and afternoon.  We already had another appointment in Atlanta on December 13th so we decided to walk in that afternoon.

We weren’t in a big rush, and I confess we took time for a leisurely lunch after our first appointment.  By the time we got to the fingerprinting place it was already 3:45.  And they were closed!

There was a guard outside who saw us and asked if we had come for fingerprinting.  He kindly explained that they don’t take any walk ins after 3 pm and that they officially close at 3:30.

He also told us that the very best time to walk in for fingerprints in Atlanta is between 1:00 and 2:00 pm.

We decided to try it again a week later on December 20th.  It gave us the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping at IKEA, too, which was fun.

We got there a few minutes early at 12:40.  There was quite a line, and although we were at the front of it, we were directed to stand aside for a few minutes while the guards processed internationals.

At precisely 1:00 pm, though, the line miraculously cleared out.  It was as if everyone who had been there before was finally done and no one else was coming.

We were waved forward and we were able to quickly get our fingerprinting done, no problem.  The guard had said 1:00 pm was the best time and he was absolutely right!

The lady who did my fingerprints was very kind and allowed our 2 year old to pretend to take her fingerprints.  One of the guards gave her a coloring page and his red pen also, so she had a fun time.

After the fingerprinting we had a super yummy lunch at Fellini’s, a nearby Sicilian style pizza restaurant, and then did our Christmas shopping at IKEA.  Fun times and another thing to cross off our list of to-do’s.  And best of all, we got it done before Christmas.  At 8 a.m. on the 26th we will be able to relax at home with our children!

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Looked at a file…

I inquired about two children last week, both in the Lifeline orphanage partnership program.

One of them was for LID families only, and we are not LID.  I guess it is set in stone that you can’t see those kids until you are LID.  She was only 12 months old, a perfect age for us, with a minor correctable need.

I think when the Lord draws our heart to a baby but we find out it isn’t the baby God has for us that He does it so we will pray for that baby.  I pray she will be matched to a wonderful Christian family who will be perfectly suited to her and who will raise her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

We also inquired about another file today.  This child had more significant needs, so it was not necessary to be LID to see her file.

I was impressed with the Lifeline partnership program, as we received WAY more information, photos, and videos of her than our friends who recently adopted ever did for their child throughout the entire adoption process.  It is encouraging to know that if we are matched through that program, we should get an abundance of information about our child.

David was interested in considering this little girl, and I have to say that I really love his heart.  Walking through this adoption process with him has been such a blessing, and it has drawn us even closer. We prayed and talked about this little girl, but didn’t feel a peace about it. Within a short time someone else had locked her file and I trust that is the Lord’s leading, saying that she, too, is meant for someone else.

We decided after all this that we should probably wait until we are LID before inquiring about any more files. We are not that far away from being LID…maybe a couple more months at this point…and we decided that we should probably just wait until then, unless the Lord shows us to do otherwise.

We also inquired about Lifeline’s new program in Hong Kong this week, but found out that the children are typically older or have more serious special needs.  Not that I want to leave the China program…but we just felt we should find out a little more about it, and I’m glad we did.  Continuing to press forward with the China program, though, hoping we can be DTC soon….