Kati*na and I are still in Haiti.....

....thanks to red tape and a battle of words. Friday at 7:00 a.m. we had our visa appointment. That was the best appointment we could get because USCIS did not send our file and approval over to the Consulate until Wednesday, Sept. 12 (Even though our appt. with them was on Sept 6!!). Knowing this, we made several phone calls on Wednesday trying to arrange our appointment for Thursday.

We arrived at the Consulate at 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning and waited outside the gate until 7:00 a.m. THEN, we waited inside the Embassy until 8:45 a.m. before the Officer at the Consulate talked with us, all the while, sweating bullets because our flight was at 11:05 a.m.

Basically, the court document that Katiana's father and mother signed in January of 2005 had the words "irrevocably and unconditionally" in the margin and the officer was uncertain of the date that those words were added. The Haitian court did approve the document and they also affixed their seal in three places on this document, one of which was just below this text in the margin. Later, the attorney did confirm to us this is why the court stamped their seal on the document in this place. But the officer at the consulate said he was uncertain of the dates the words were added and he wasn't sure the birth parents understood they were "irrevocably AND unconditionally" relinquishing their rights (as opposed to just simply...."unconditionally" relinquishing their rights) Ok....I just deleted my next thought because it isn't very nice......but give me a break!

We are trapped in the cross-fire of "people" arguing if her father really meant to relinquish his rights. The most simple fix would have been for us to leave right then, pick up her father, bring him to the consulate and have the officer ASK HIM! Because, CLEARLY, HE understands and the words the *powers to be* want to use don't matter to HIM! AND CLEARLY, I have developed a heated attitude about the process of adoption in Haiti! AND even more.....I'm ticked that we made it through a very long process.....made an effort to make it a special homecoming and a special week by bringing Steven and Marisa with us.....and right up to the last minute we had anxiety about the very thing that DID HAPPEN!

Some would say we have the worst of luck! I say, we are stronger and we all experienced this difficult process TOGETHER which will give us all a common bond in the future. And while it may appear that Satan is "stirring the pot" I AM MEAN ENOUGH to take his crap and the LORD knows me....and what motivates me... AND....I will do my best to raise hell about this process for others adopting from Haiti! I can not change Haiti and the hardships that add to the slow process......but I SHOULD have a voice in my own country and I'm spitting mad at the lack of cooperation USCIS and the VISA Office have with each other. WHY? And....what can one person do about it? God willing, ONE person CAN make a change....but many can make a quicker change - so for those of you enduring this same process - start writing your Senators and Congressmen/women!!! The system in Haiti is broken but the system in the U.S. shouldn't be!

Ok.....Hopefully, the resolution to this problem will be sent in a memo on Monday and we will get her visa and come home. In my frustration, I contacted everyone I knew who could shake things up and try to help us. I do hope we have an answer tomorrow! AND....thank you to all of you who lit up the phones on our behalf!

Most of all, thank you for your prayers....