Visa update

I know a lot of people have prayed with us and been concerned about Ariel's visa and the whole process. I wanted to finally update where we stand with it and what is happening.

Last Thursday, Ariel had his appointment at the embassy. He spent the whole day there and in the end, walked away without a visa. I don't really have the right words for how I felt when he told me. Disappointed? That doesn't quite do it. He wasn't technically denied his visa, only told that he needs to come back with the baby's birth certificate and, well, me, for the next appointment. He has an open appointment, which means whenever he has these two things with him (me and birth cert) we can go to the embassy for his visa.

Obvious problems with this plan:

a. He won't be here for the birth

b. I can't travel right away with a newborn

c. The baby won't have all his papers for travel on the first day.

So what is our plan? Onward we go. We have Senator Merkley's office working with us to see if they can pull any strings or talk to anyone at the embassy because it is honestly just ridiculous that they are asking for these things. Of course he wanted the visa to be here for the BIRTH...not weeks after. Hopefully something happens through them, but we are prepared for plan z (as plans a-y haven't come together yet). This means that after the baby is born, we will rush papers back and forth to the DR to get everything together for his birth certificate and passport. As soon as the pediatrician says we are clear to go, we will go. Just thinking it through, that would probably be sometime in December. Hopefully the visa would be issued at that appointment, for Ariel, baby and I to travel back to Oregon together. But...we've seen how our plans often work out. So really, we're just waiting to see what we're supposed to do!

So pray with us for all of this to come together, for clear direction, for something amazing to happen with the sentor's office...and most of all, for peace and understanding as we accept what we know is God's will. We know He walks with us and brings us together, even through the many miles that separate us. We try to make the most of it all and will aim to make the first baby days as special as possible, despite the distance.