yes, we're still waiting on my background check

Today, I spoke with a supervisor at the FBI office, a supervisor at the state office and one very nice lady that was just the poor unfortunate soul who had to tell me that no, they still had not completed my back ground check.
After 3 phone calls, lots of checking and the 2 agencies communicating with each other about "my case", here is what I found out.
First, let me tell you how I ended up speaking to all the supervisors:
I called to check the status of my report....just like I've done every week for over a month. Today, I was told that my back ground check was entered into the system on July 8th...YESTERDAY...and would be done 30 days after that. Now, for the past several weeks, I've been told that it was entered on June 16th and would be done on July 16th. Now, I'm being told August 8th. When I asked for an explanation, the response I received was, "Ma am, I simply don't know. You appear to have a very unique case with all of these delays." *sigh*
So, my "unique case" status allowed me to get the name and direct extension to the person at the FBI office that processes all back ground checks for the state of Alabama. (I have learned more than I ever wanted to know about how many "offices" there are in this ONE department!). The supervisor at the FBI office could not explain my "unique case" either and she went on to say "how strange"(NOT making me feel better, people!). So, now my case is "unique" and "strange". I asked her if, since she's the supervisor and all, she could simply process my back ground check for me....like, as in, TODAY. I also politely reminded her that I've had numerous back ground checks done in the past 2 years and have never had any issues. There is NOTHING in/on my record to cause any type of issue with a back ground check. It's going to come back blank....just like the other half a dozen ones have!
She said I needed to talk to the head at the state office and let that lady figure out why my case is "unique" and "strange". So, she gave me ANOTHER contact person(I now have names and numbers for 5 different people, so if you live in AL or need the FBI office in relation to back ground checks, I can hook you up!). I then called that lady, who had to call me back because she needed to call the previous lady and "discuss my case". When she called me back, she said that they were "working something out" and that my back ground checks would be processed and completed and sent to our agency by the end of next week. She told me to call her back next Thursday, the 16th, to make sure that it was done "before the weekend"(her words).
Now, if I have to call her back next Thursday to "make sure it was done"......then I don't have a whole lot of faith that they're actually going to do it before next Thursday.
BUT, assuming that they do actually....FINALLY.....complete my back ground check and send it on, it STILL has to be sent to DHR(social services) and then to my agency. At that point, the agency can send me a draft of my home study to review. ASSUMING(and oh, how I hate to assume at this point) that the draft of the home study is error free, then an official copy of the home study will be sent to DHR.(but I have no idea how long it will take them to send it to DHR from the time they get my back ground check). At that point, DHR has 30 days to review the home study and then they will send it on to USCIS.
Then.....FINALLY.....we will be moving forward once again.

Funds update (Laptop winner!)

We had an amazing amount of donations come in the past couple of weeks.
We raised right at $1,000!!!!!! What a blessing!!!!!!
We are now $2,000 away from the amount we need in order to send our dossier to Bulgaria and complete our adoption of "V".
Olivia drew the winner of the lap top.....


THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us in our adoption journey so far!
Please continue to pray for our process as we are currenly "stuck" waiting on the state of Alabama to complete our back ground checks so that we can move forward with our dossier.

July 2nd....

....and my finger prints still have not been processed.
Yes, I called and checked again.
Yes, the lady on the phone(a different lady this time) had to tell me again that if Alabama wasn't so crazy with their requirements that the back ground check could have been processed much faster.
Yes, I once again made myself an emotional wreck over something I can not control.
I don't know why I do this to myself.
So, we're still waiting.
No end to this madness in sight.

Does anyone know if a congressman's office can do anything with getting FBI background check results????? Not that I'd even know who to call. But this is getting ridiculous. They have now had my fingerprint cards for 3 MONTHS....and done nothing with them.
*sigh*

update & reminder

Just a reminder that we are giving away a brand new Dell Mini 10 lap top as a thank you to those who donate to our adoption fund. Donations can be given through the chip in button listed at the bottom of this post or by mail. All of the details can be found here.
We've had a lot of donations mailed to us in the past few weeks and we are extremely grateful for all of the support. We have been asked about our current financial need, so I wanted to share that today.

We need $4,000 in order to complete this adoption. That money must be sent with our paper work to Bulgaria. We currently have $1,400 toward that goal. If we bring home a second child(the only thing stopping us is the financial need), we will need an additional $2,500 at the end of our adoption in order to pay the US fees associated with the second child(USCIS fee and visa to come to the US & plane ticket home).

We are doing several different things to attempt to raise the money needed to complete this adoption(s). Robert is selling items that he has sewn(like the colorbags). I'm also going to be selling items in a local consignment sell, having a yard sale and will be selling some things on ebay as well. Once our home study is released to us, we'll also be applying for grants. We're brainstorming through some other ideas to raise money as well. Above all, we're praying for God's provision in this process.

Donations to our adoption can be made through paypal using this button or via regular mail(email me for address at: shele337@yahoo.com ). All donations will enter the donor in our lap top give away.

Thought for the week (or month)

He's worth it.

change that to August...or September

I don't know why I continue to call and check on my back ground check.
Here's the news from my call today:
My back ground check will be released from the FBI on July 16th.
They will then send it to the state of Alabama who has 2-4 weeks to process it.
The state will then send it to DHR(social services), who will look at it and send the results to our home study agency.
Once our home study agency receives the results, our home study will be sent back to DHR.
DHR will then have 2-4 weeks to review our home study and officially approve it.
Looking at this time line, we won't have a completed home study until the end of August...if we're lucky.
Then, after all of that our home study will finally be sent to USCIS(the state has to send it).
Then, we will have to wait on a finger print appointment and USCIS approval, which takes about 90 days.
Then, we will finally be able to send our dossier to Bulgaria.

Looking at this time line, I won't even get to meet our son until after his next birthday....which is in January.

Do you want to know what the really frustrating part of all of this is?
The lady at the FBI said that if I would have sent the back ground check request in myself, it would take less than 3 weeks to be processed and sent back to me. But, when the state sends it in, they take 8-12 weeks to do the same back ground check. And of course, the state won't recognize a back ground check if I do it myself. (though I will have to do one for my dossier, so that's good to know).
The other really frustrating part is that my husband's state and FBI back ground checks were processed and back to us in 20 days.
I really don't understand this system. Not at all.

while we wait

Some of the many definitions of "wait":
-to stay in place in expectation of
-to remain stationary in readiness or expectation
-to look forward expectantly
-to pause for another to catch up
- to be ready and available

and then there's The Word:
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:25 NIV)

Here's the next 2 verses of that passage: (Romans 8:26-27 NIV)
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

I don't know why we're still waiting. I don't know why the state of Alabama has to be so slow. I don't know why our home study agency suddenly doesn't have Robert's Texas back ground check and now that paper work has to be resubmitted so that we can wait on Texas too.
I just don't know.
All I know is that we will continue to wait....and pray...and hope....and try to remember to wait patiently.