Laughing?

Oh yes, I'm laughing, because it's better to laugh than alternatives :)

We got our invitations for fingerprinting today! This is a biometric appointment at the US Citizenship and Immigration office in Central Florida and you have to have an appointment to go. This is for the approval that we are praying to have by the time I travel in just over 3 weeks. In fact, we'd like to have it in our hands in exactly 3 weeks so that I can have it apostilled in time to hand carry it with me!

So, the date isn't until over 3 weeks away (while I'm in Ukraine). Please pray that we can get our fingerprinting done EARLY!

I tried to access USCIS' automated service to find out who our case manager is. I tried the web service. Neither seems to like my number.

I called USCIS to find out my case manager as well. I waited on the line (forever). Even pressed 1 to hear the prompts in English AND got hung up on once because I was attempting the automated service using what says "receipt number" on my paperwork when they asked for the "receipt number." Eventually, I got to a person.

"Are you the petitioner?"
"Yes."
"You are the main petitioner for what form?"
"i-600a"
"And you are the main petitioner?"
"um... well, it's a joint petition with my husband and I."
"Please hold....(waiting...) I'm sorry, your husband must be on the line for me to provide you with any additional information."
"I'm on the form, it has me listed on it. It's a joint petition for adoption."
"I'm sorry, I can't help you."
"Can you just tell me how to get the computer system to accept my receipt number?"
"No, I can get in trouble for that since you're not the main petitioner."
"For telling me how to access the website?"
"Yes, I can't give you any other information without your husband on the line."
"Ok..."
"Please call at any time if we are able to be of further assistance to you, thank you. (wait) Well, if your husband is with you anyway."

Yep, that was how it went down. I suppose we'll be calling again when Michael is home...

Why is this even more ironic? Because I have called USCIS on families' behalf MANY times to ask questions about eligibility and processing and ALWAYS have had them answer my questions! Never specific to a case, but always an answer. And what, pray tell, does it matter if she tells me how to use the WEBSITE just because my husband and I are both on a petition?? LOL

So yes, I'm laughing, because this is just one more example of how "the system" works. Praying that this is the only 'glitch' in the process and that whoever's desk our petition is really sitting on is going to approve it IMMEDIATELY after he/she receives our fingerprint clearances!! Last adoption (2007) we prayed specifically that the person that received our file would have a heart for children with disabilities and would approve us immediately. We hold the same prayer up today, that whoever's desk it is sitting on will see that it is for a child with disabilities and for orphans, and that as soon as our fingerprints come through, they will approve it.

The answer to that prayer, last time, was a woman who called me and said "My daughter is disabled, please pray for her, and for us." Yes, that's whose desk it was sitting on. God shows up in the strongest ways and when we pray specifically, He often shows himself in answering those specifics!