I have just lost my last bit of respect for the international community.

Obama wins the Nobel Peace prize???? What in the world is going on??? I am astounded at this announcement. My shock has nothing to do with the fact that I oppose him on many different levels, I actually like the guy (what we can see) as an individual, as a dad, and even his marriage has sparked my interest. Most of his political policies make me weak behind the knees though.

When did the Nobel committee start giving out the award to people with lofty intentions? My good intentions extend far beyond what Obama has purposed. I want every child in the world to have a home and family. I want there to be a line waiting to adopt every baby that is considered for abortion, for every child that is going to lose their parents to aids. I don't just want to set up orphanages in every poor section of Africa and Asia, but I want to plant schools as well, and not just for children. Every illiterate person in a household should have the opportunity to learn.

But my most lofty goal is that, not only is there unity in the middle east and between the Muslims nations, but my goal is for every Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, Satanist, to have an encounter with the living God.

What have I actually done to fulfill my intentions? Well, I started an adoption grant program in my church. I am adopting. The children, their father and I pray for the lost frequently. We ask the lord to supernaturally reveal himself to the Muslims during Ramadan. Where is my nomination, and the nomination of those who have actually DONE something. (I rant and jest in the above tirade,) What can Obama, or the Nobel Peace committee laud as an accomplishment for him yet. NOTHING!! Obama, right now, is just an international rock star. Maybe he is just a one hit wonder, maybe he will fall from grace, maybe he won't be able to do anything that he hopes to do. Was he awarded the most prestigious prize our world can offer because he makes them feel dizzy when he smiles at them?, or because of his commanding presence in front of teleprompters and cameras?

I don't blame him for this award, I blame the international community for getting stars in their eyes over his presence in the world. They of all people should be weighing, watching, evaluating his endeavors with a leery eye. They should be above public displays of affection. They should be above politically motivated brown nosing. Good grief! Give the man some space and time to prove himself. Character over charisma, please. When did we exchange merit for popularity? What am I going to tell my children now? Words speak louder than actions, so just speak louder dear children and you shall receive your reward.

Another Setback

I really can't believe that I have to write this post. It is so annoying! I have to redo my US paperwork, that means file another I-600A and update my homestudy for the 4th time. I have been absent from blog world for the past 2 weeks because of this. Two weeks ago, this coming Monday I was looking for flights to Haiti, so that we could go meet Dania and file our last bit of paperwork to bring her home. We were planning on leaving Oct 7th with my adoption agent, filing the paperwork on the 8th or 9th, return home and wait 3-6 weeks for the all clear to go pick her up. It was looking like she would be home early November, then on Tuesday I get the call that immigration can't find my current paperwork, all they have is some expired stuff from 06. To be completely fair, I let an application expire because I was in the process of filing something that would replace that file, only they lost it twice, so my application was never processed. To make a long story short, it is just easier to do it again rather than fight it, or try to prove that I was right. Even if I "won" they still need the papers that they can't find.

I was terribly put out for a week, but last week I hit the ground running, and now I have done everything that I need to do. The social worker is coming Wednesday and that is the final thing that we need to do. Immigration has to process my application and DFACS has to give us clearance, but that is all stuff that is out of my immediate control. I wrote a short and sweet note to accompany my paperwork, pleading that they expedite it. There is one tricky area that could hinder everything and that our FBI fingerprints, they expire on Dec 2nd, so we have to have Dania home by then otherwise having her home by Christmas because nearly impossible. It can take 2 months just to get that appt, and an appt. can not be issued until the Homestudy is completed and submitted. So needless to say, I felt deflated, but I am happy to say that God's grace is sufficient and I have rebounded. The agency that I hired to finish this mess up for me is completely dumbfounded by my situation. She has also stated on several occasions that it "is a miracle" that Haiti even allowed it to finish. Usually when someones paperwork has been through what mine has been through, the adoption is disrupted and they make you start all over again or not let you finish. She has told me that she can't even imagine what the director of the Orphanage had to do to see this one through, so for that I am truly grateful and I see the hand of God in it. Dania has already been adopted in Haiti, so technically she is mine if I lived in Haiti. This complicates things a little, meaning that she will not be a US citizen when she reaches the good ole USA, but we will have to adopt her stateside. I know that she is waiting for us, so I put my hand to the plow and keep going.

Another update

Some things had to happen before this process was completed. Dania's mother had to be located and appear in court for final relinquishment. Her passport had to be applied for and received. She had to have a physical, our dossier had to be submitted to USCIS and her visas applied for.

Since I last posted, all this has been done with the exception of visa application and dossier submission. I sent out a prayer request to my church body that this final stage would move quickly because of our expiring paperwork. So far he has answered.

There was some tragic news, when they went to locate Dania's bmom, she had passed away. The grandmother was still living and had the death certificate, so they were able to prove her orphan status. While this is good news for the adoption, I was crushed over the death of Dania's mother. I think that I had always hoped that I would take Dania back to Haiti to see her. She must have had a tremendously hard life, and for that I ache for her.

I am probably going to hire an agency to finish up what needs to be done since it has been so long since I was involved in the paper chase, and with all the complications of that I am having with my paperwork stateside, I don't want anything to go wrong and delay the process. We have to be back on American soil before Dec 2nd when fingerprints expire.

I really am on the homestretch now.