Yippee for US Mail!

We were sweating it this week.  Today (literally today) was the deadline for Paul and I to submit our Request for Evidence for our I-600.  Just yesterday we debated calling Officer "L" to check the status but decided it wouldn't do any good since only last week I called and left a detailed message for her stating our deadline was nearing and to please call me back if she needed anything from us.  I think I even left my name and phone number twice in the same message.  Since we haven't heard back, we decided not to call and instead hold our breath, pray, and cross our fingers all at the same time.

This morning we headed to our agency for a class about attachment.  In fact, during one of our discussions with the other waiting families, it came up that our first I-600 submission was delayed.  There was one other family that also received a Request for Evidence and we laughed that pink papers from USCIS doesn't mean "girl approval" or anything...in fact it means about the exact opposite. 

So how nice was it to come home and get the mail!  I believe it went something like this: me running up the driveway screaming, "Paul we have mail from the US Department of Homeland Security!  And it isn't pink!  And it isn't pink!  And it isn't pink!"  Thank God.  We know it isn't Jae's final clearance into the US as he will still need a visa, but it is pretty darn close to it. 

Now we wait for Korea to get their paperwork in order.  Even though the I-600 approval is HUGE, it isn't the end of our wait.  Hopefully within the next couple of weeks a large batch of legals will be sent to the Korean Ministry and that batch will include Jae's.  But for tonight, we will celebrate our I-600 victory with Paul's homemade lamb burgers!  I know, I know, those Herzogs are CRAZY!  Lamb burgers!?!?!  :)  We might really go crazy and have a beer as well. 

Love,
Jae's Mom