VISA INTERVIEW!! May 4th!

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord- He is my refuge and my fortress in whom I trust!" Psalm 91:1-2

It has been a roller coaster week of emotions as we have seen the Lord answer so many prayers!!! (Thank you so much Lord!) And also have had many moments of fear and worry as we look at travel and details, and all the unknowns of this next step in the process.  It is very refining for us(namely me!).  You all know us- we like to plan, and be prepared.  (And I like to arrive 10 minutes early ;0)- Jay rolls in right smack on time- translation- I wanted to hop the first plane, Jay wanted to wait for the proper travel time- ahem).   We just keep going back to the One we can rely on and trust in all of our unknowns and weakness and tendencies.  He is truly our refuge and strength!

Thank you so much for praying and giving us words of wisdom as we waited for word of our interview date! 

Here's what has happened in the last week:

*Wednesday (April 15th) our POA picked up our Visa packet at the consulate.
*Thursday (April 16th) we submitted our online application for Joy's Visa.
*Monday (April 20th) Joy had her official Visa medical done, and her required (passport type) photos were taken. And after some technical difficulties we were able to submit our request for interview.

*Wednesday (April 22nd)  Joy had her Mantoux officially read (MD gave good report on health- praise!!!)and vaccine waiver form turned in (will get up to date once home) And. . .

*********WE RECEIVED OUR INTERVIEW DATE!!!!!!!!!!*********

We will have our Visa Interview in Ghana on May 4th!!  

So- what does that mean?

It means we will be traveling to Ghana in about a week to see our sweet Joy!
We will attend the Visa Interview on May 4th. Pray hard that we pass!!!!!
If all passes- then we get the Visa printed and come home with our girl!!
If there is another further field investigation then we will update you all with what that means next (a field investigation was just done at the USCIS level- we pray the information is adequate for the Visa Consulate as well- but you just never know).

How can you specifically pray for us?
*Wisdom and unity for all the decisions re: travel, hotel, etc. we will be making today
*For all the loose ends at home- that we will be able to prepare our home and the kids well for our time away (it is May- season of special stuff and school crazy with 5 kiddos!) and our coming home (We pray it is WITH JOY).
*For sweet time with Joy!
*For Joy (and all of us) through this season of transition.
*That the Lord would go before us and we would have an awesome interview and would be able to have our visa printed as soon as possible (so we can get home before Justin leaves on a lego robotics trip).

I love this song from Kari Jobe- "I am not alone"  He goes before us!  He will never leave us!  Enjoy!!

Quick Update

Just a quick update:
*We were approved to pick up our Visa packet tomorrow (Wednesday) from the consulate in Ghana. HOORAY!!
*Monday Joy will have her visa medical.
*As soon as we (our POA) picks up our packet then we are able to submit Joy's visa application and request our visa interview.
*As soon as we get an interview date- then it will be time to schedule flights and the hotel!
AHHH!!  It is getting real!

Huge Praise! We received our i600 approval!!!!

We have been waiting 6 months for today to come.  Well, more like 2 1/2 years in total, but it has been over 6 months since we submitted our i600 application.  As you recall, we had to go back to court and get a specific sentence on our court documents etc. etc. etc. etc.  Then it was more stuff too: confirmation of papers we already submitted etc. etc. etc.  BUT TODAY we received the most wonderful email.  We finally got our i600 approval from the USCIS.

***** HOORAY!!!!!!  This is me shouting it from the rooftops!**************

I'll be honest- it hasn't been pretty around my home lately- there have been a whole lot of emotions and crying, sleepless nights and stress in the waiting (and a whole lot of crying out to the Lord)- and just plain missing our sweet, spunky Joy.  The kids have been upset and tired of waiting, as have Jay and I. It has been harder to re-assure them when you see no progress (and really can't give promises that things will progress) and when each time people say something will happen in the next couple of days, it ultimately means the next couple of weeks or months. Yes- emotions have been raw.  But I have also seen more tenderness and wisdom and strength in my kids.  We have had to cling to the Lord, to each other and to the things we know we can rely on despite our circumstances, or how it "feels".  Basically-We can trust our God!  He is able! He is with us (even when we can't feel it much) He loves us! He will bring beauty from ashes.  (Nothing is wasted) His word is truth.  His mercies are new every morning.  Etc.!!

One song that I have been listening to over and over is "Shoulders" by King & Country- and the verse that keeps popping in my mind as we have faced this trek up the mountain is: Psalm 121:1-2.  "I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth." It has been an encouragement to me as I have felt completely weary of waiting to bring Joy home.  I hope it is an encouragement to all of you!

Well- I am sure many of you are asking- "What does this mean?" "What is next?"  Here's the very simplified version:

Step 1:  Pass Court- Done!!!!
(although Jay will have to go back in August to get our full and final adoption decree as it will be 2 years from when our 2 year interim decree was declared)

Step 2:  USCIS i600 approved:  DONE!!!!!!!

Next:

Step 3:  Visa approval.  -
*We are hoping to pick up our "Visa Packet" in the next week or two-(they only allow pick up on a Wednesday-our POA will get this for us- it is basically the green light to submit the visa application for Joy and the papers for her medicals ).
*Then we submit our application online and get an appointment for our "interview" at the US visa consulate in Ghana.
*Joy will have medicals done (Physical, TB testing etc.).
Thankfully we already have her passport! That can often take a long time to get.
*Visa Interview- we pray for approval!
*Print Joy's Visa (on a Friday)
*Bring Joy Home!!!

So- once we get our visa appointment Jay and I will travel to Ghana and have our interview- if all is approved, then we will get Joy's visa printed and bring home our sweet girl!!!

This is the final step, guys! I can hardly believe I finally get to say that!! Please pray that all goes well with the Visa process and that we are able to bring Joy home very soon!  And please pray for us as we try to figure out timing and travel details, and for the crew we will be leaving home with Grandma ;0)- and my friends who will be helping Grandma navigate their activities/etc.  Thank you so very much for continuing to support and love us so well, and for praying for us!

We will keep you updated when we know a travel date/details.

Our Prayer:

"We wait in hope for the Lord;

He is our help and our shield.

In Him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in His holy name.

May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,

even as we put our hope in you."

 Psalm 33:20-22