News From Immigration

Answer to why the INS is going to call.  Like I thought, no big deal.  He called yesterday and wanted to let me know that they need two additional documents.  The paperwork said that Tatiana's mother had passed away but no death certificate was included.  The reason they must have this document is because if Tati's father was trying to sell her for a price he could have said she was dead, just believe me she has no mother.  They want to make certain after doing due dilligance that all the ducks are in a row and that she has passed away like we say she has.  The second document was a statement from her father saying that he can no longer take care of her and that he irrevocably and unconditionally gives her up to someone who can care for her.  The reason for this document is again to avoid the fradulant case that someone has stolen this child to sell to the highest bidder.  Also, people who traffic children will sell a child into slave labor for 1 year or more and then want to get them back when their usefullness was used up.  INS just wants to make sure her father does not change his mind later and have a legal reason to rip her away from us.  So I do understand that all of this is to protect everyone involved.  The only problem is that it is one more thing to do & one more thing keeping our daughter from being in our arms.  But, the important part is that ALL of this is in God's hands and His timing is EXACTLY PERFECT and if we change that timing by one second it will all go horribly wrong.  So that is the truth we hold on to everyday we are not together as a family.  So I e-mailed both Gabi (director of the orphanage) and our attorney in Benin to ask for the documents.  They both e-mailed them to me by this morning.  The next step is to find someone who can translate the French and to send them on to INS.  I hope to have this ASAP!!!  I would like to send the docs early next week.  INS officer said that when he receives these things should go quickly.  Well, we will see about that.

Daycare kids info:  Today I had my two boys that I have had FOREVER.  I love these guys.  Ja is 7 and Ju is 3.  I don't have them all the time now but only for special days.  I had Ja from the time he was a baby until Ju was almost 2.  These boys are so sweet & as a family we love them to death, like most of my daycare kids.  Anyway, today Ju didn't want a sandwich for lunch so when I got ready to make lunch he told me that his mommy said he wasn't allowed to eat a sandwich, maybe when he gets bigger but today he can't have one.  This was too funny to me.  This told me that mommy says they have to wait until they get bigger to have something & it also told me that Ju didn't want a sandwich and thinks that if it is a directive from his mom then I MUST obey.  Well Ju "got his wish" because he was not "forced" to eat a yucky old sandwich. (which I wasn't going to make for them anyway)  Later this afternoon, same child, got a snack out of his bag and when I told him to put it back he looked me dead in the eyes and said "No".  I asked, "excuse me?"  He, again, said "No!"  I gave him one more chance before I threatened Time Out.  This time he caved and put the snack into the bag.  He was testing the water to see what Ms. Tonya would push & and where he stood with the rules.  I knew this inside of 10 seconds.  He pushed, found the boundaries & went bounding into the other room to go on with his day.  LOL  I love my job and they are so much fun.