Making Mistakes...

So, we've been waiting for our fingerprinting appointment from the USCIS (United States Citizenship & Immigration Services) after submitting our I-600a (That's the Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition.) form July 11.  We got a receipt from them July 16 that said that they had received our application and payment (which had already gone through the bank and been processed) and it also said that we needed to be looking for our fingerprinting appointment in the next 10-14 days.

We have waited...

And waited...

And those 10-14 days have passed so I called USCIS.  I called yesterday after school and was on hold for over an hour.  I couldn't leave school until 5 and they close at 6, so I hung up at 6:15 when I still hadn't spoken to anyone.

I called again today and spoke to someone.  I didn't hear the news I wanted, but I sure am glad that I called!  The conversation went a little something like this...

USCIS Lady: "Did you include your home study with your application?"

Me: "No.  Was I supposed to include our home study with our application?"

USCIS Lady: "Did an agency help you with this?"

Me:  "Yes, we were given very specific directions - that I read SEVERAL TIMES.  I really don't remember it saying anything about including our home study with the application, but I suppose I could have overlooked it.  I don't think I did because I REALLY read those directions OVER AND OVER AND OVER again so I wouldn't jeopardize anything in this process... but... I'm sure I could have made a big mistake..."

(I was having a TERRIBLE time holding in the tears at this point!  Those of you who know me well, I'm sure can imagine how fast I was talking too at this point!)

USCIS Lady: "You need to go the the USCIS website and download the directions there.  On your receipt, does it say that you missing your home study?"

Me:  "No, it doesn't say it anywhere."

(She was actually very nice and I was managing to remain calm - amazingly - and I was using a nice tone as well.)

USCIS Lady:  "Hmmm... They must have changed the form.  Well, it SHOULD say that.  I suppose it is good that you called.  Otherwise, your application would sit on a shelf for a year and then it would just get thrown away without your home study."

Me:  "I just want to cry right now."

USCIS Lady:  "Oh, there's no reason to cry.  This really isn't that big of a deal."

I just wanted to SCREAM!!  WHAT?!?!?!  NOT A BIG DEAL?!?!?!?  It's JUST MY BABY!!!!!  I managed to keep that on the inside, though, and she told me how to send in our home study and get it matched with our application.

When I got home, I immediately went to find those directions for filling out that form!  Guess what I found...

Does anyone else see it???

YEP!!  Beside the 4., it tells what to send.  It includes payment, documents, and HOME STUDY!!!!  How did I miss that?!?!?!?!  I can not tell you how many times I read this!!!  I have been so careful NOT to miss ANY DETAIL in this process because I have been so scared that I would jeopardize some crucial step in bringing our baby home!  It's no secret that organization and paperwork are not strengths of mine.  That's why I have been SO CAREFUL!  I just don't know how I missed it!

It really ISN'T the end of the world!  I know it isn't!  The nice lady at USCIS (She REALLY was VERY NICE!) told me how to fix this (and it really is very fixable)!  I am just so disappointed in myself for making such a careless mistake.  

I suppose I need to remember...

Oh, how I am TRYING!!  

Good thing I've got God, a ROCK of a husband, and an unbelievable village of family and friends to help me up when I fall!!