Housework and Politics

So I'm sitting here wondering how to get the house cleaned up for this weekend while also trying to push a bill through a congressional subcommittee.....? The answer is......the housework is on hold. The importance of the S. 1376 International Adoption Simplification Act is so very pressing right now. If this is not passed by the subcommittee, Nathan Oliver will have to endure any immunization injections that he is not up to date on prior to traveling to the states....including a TB test (which isn't addressed in this bill).
It makes my heart sick to think of all the newly adopted children having to endure the trauma associated with getting several shots at one time. Currently, only those who are being adopted through the Hague Convention are required to have this done. This bill will change that. And a wavier can be signed by the adoptive parents stating that they will update immunizations when they get the child home, which is what we did for the girls.

I'm not usually one to be "politically active" on issues, but this one is tugging at my momma heart. Our congressman, John Boozman is not on the subcommittee, but I felt it worth sending him an e-mail about it anyway. However it makes finding people to help pass this bill a little more difficult. I have enlisted a group of adoptive parents via an international adoption website to contact anyone they know on the subcommittee in an effort to push this ruling through as soon as possible. Pray for endurance in this effort please!

On another note....we have been completely approved by both the US and Chinese governments to adopt our little guy!!!!! The next steps are as follows:
Our file will be sent to the NVC (National Visa Center) and then it will be cabled to the US Consulate in Guangzhou, China, where they will work on N.O's visa application.
Then, after that is done, they will issue what is called an Article 5. Our representative, Rebecca, in China will then overnight the necessary paperwork to the CCAA (Chinese Adoption Agency) in Beijing. And at that point, we will be waiting on our TA (Travel Approval) to go adopt our son!!!!!! So, sometime near the end of this month we will be completely done with the paperwork part of this process. At this point, we anticipate traveling around Christmas time or shortly afterward.

We still do not have the funds available to take the girls with us to China. Brian and I can not imagine leaving them here at Christmas time. I checked airline prices a couple of days ago...ACK!!!! It's so darn expensive to travel during the holidays!!! Why is that???

PLEASE keep our family and our little guy in your prayers. Ask God to handle the paperwork and clear our way to China.

Many blessings to you all,
Deb