The US says, "Yes!"

I have been checking in periodically with Officer Harrison at USCIS to see how close we were to I-800 approval.  Now that we have the final approval from China to be the adopting parents of Allura Minlan, and we have the approval of the USCIS to adopt internationally through the Hague convention, we need the final approval of Allura as THE adoptee.  The one and only.  The precious.  The fabulous.  The beloved.

Yesterday was the two week mark from the USCIS's receipt of our final I-800 application to their lockbox in Texas.  When we received the receipt, I asked Officer Harrison, as she had processed our I-800A, how long the next step would take.  She told me that it takes 7-14 days to get from the lockbox to her desk but she assured me that I-800s take precedence over I-800As as there is an actual specific child involved and she would process it immediately.

At yesterday's two week mark, I emailed her to find out if it had made it to her desk.  This AM, I received this email:

"Good morning Karin,

In an answer to your question, I received the I-800 on 5/5/2010, 

and processed on the same day.  Congratulations, 

I approved the your case and the approval notices went out 

in the mail that day!  Please let me
know if I can be of further assistance!

Thanks!"

Although we already have tickets, we still need every permission 

and every document to be processed, done in time, and in our hands. 

This is one more fantastic step to parenting

our youngest child. 

Next step?  No idea.  Something about the National Visa Center 

and "cabling to Guangzhou".

Stay tuned for more soon....  Smiles..... 

We're gonna put on our dancing shoes and get our 

groove on in celebration.