I800 approval.... CHECK!

Last Friday we received a notice from USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) that our I800 paperwork had been received into their lockbox.

Today, I decided to call them just to check on things..... cause, you know..... they probably look forward to all these crazed, tired-of-waiting adoptive Mamas calling them every day.  Anyhoo..... the officer that I spoke with COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE PRECIOUS.   Our conversation went something like this:

Me:  Hi there!  I'm Mikki Powell from Alabama and we are adopting the most precious little girl you have ever seen with your eyeballs.  She lives in China and she is 18 months old.  We totally can't wait to go get her.  Our boys, Jack and Max, are going to travel with us and we all are really excited to meet our new little one.  I just thought I'd call to say hello and that I so appreciate all the work you people do there at the USCIS.  You all sent me a letter last Friday to let me know that you'd received our paperwork.... thanks so much for that letter, by the way..... and I was hoping to see, if you have time to look, how things were going with our approval.  Do you happen to know anything about that?

USCIS Officer:  Certainly, Mrs. Powell.  Do you have your SIM number?

Me:  Oh, goodness!  I sure do!  (reads off a really long number to the lady) You know, Officer, I keep all of these numbers in a special notebook so that I don't lose anything.  Our Mary..... that's our baby girl's name..... Mary Jewel..... is going to LOVE notebooks and pens because her mother LOVES notebooks and pens.  Of course, she's a bit small to actually be able to WRITE anything yet, but oh, she'll love to color and draw.  I can't wait to show her all the crayons and journals that I've gotten her with her NAME on them!  So cute!  Did I mention how totally precious my new baby girl is?

USCIS Officer:  Yes.

Me:  Well, I tell you what, officer, all of this paperwork has certainly made this process quite interesting.  And the waiting?  Don't even get me started on the amount of WAITING you have to do in adoption.  It is NOT fun.  I just want to get my hands on my little girl.  I realized last week that I've only known her face for a little over a month, but it seems like she's been a part of our family always.  I'm a little nervous about meeting her, but I've been praying so very hard that the Lord would prepare her heart for when we meet her.  I sure do hope it's soon.

USCIS Officer:  Well, Mrs. Powell, I have good news for you.  Your I800 was provisionally approved yesterday and should be on its way to the next stop.  Congratulations on your new little one and have a wonderful trip.

Me:  (CRYING at this point).... Oh, thank you so much, Officer!  I can't wait to call my husband and tell him!  We are so thankful for you and your diligence in working on our case and approving it in such a timely manner.  You don't know how much it means to all of us in the process to know that those who touch our paperwork are compassionate and hard-working and efficient.  It makes a hard process much easier.  God bless you, USCIS Officer person.  The Powells are thankful for you.

USCIS Officer:  You are very welcome, Mrs. Powell.


It's a little hard to know for SURE if that was the way our conversation went, but that's the way it went in my head.  But seriously, the lady on the other end of that phone was SUPER nice and GENUINELY happy for us.  We are totally friends now.

And we are TOTALLY approved by the USCIS to adopt our little one and make her our own!

Petition to Classify Adoptee as an Immediate Relative ------- Approved!

I'd tell you what the next step is...... but I have actually no idea..... gotta go check my notes.