What Immigration Looks Like Part 5: Family Coming to Us

That little girl I’m holding is our first sweet treasure. Eleanor is our first niece, Charlie is our one-year-old nephew and there are two more journeying their way into our extended family into the coming year! Such precious early years. So much happening so fast, and you don’t want to miss a single story, tantrum, toddler sound, infant coo, and utterly adorable two-year-old musings. So while I’m “land locked” awaiting immigration processing, my best friend and sister came from Connecticut to visit us in Ontario for Christmas!!! How blessed we were. Here we are walking on Christmas day around where we had the best day of our lives…our wedding. We’re 18 months further into the future from that day, and in the middle of a trying immigration process, yet thankful everyday for our faith in God and his good and perfect plan for us. It is blessed assurance, and I’m not sure what we’d do without His ever-guiding peace. {E’s face says, “cold” in each of these pictures…an expression that’s hard not to wear in these parts.} Laura, thank you for making unknown months of separation not just bearable but memorable. Give our little bears hugs from Auntie and Uncle. And Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

What Immigration Looks Like: Part Deux

Dear Potential Future Children,

Lordwilling, if we have you someday, you will be granted a magical gift called dual citizenship. This means you will be both Canadian and American upon taking your first breath of air. You’re welcome, dear Lovies. Because it took

40 application papers

38 photos from dating, engagement and our wedding

30 printed personal emails, Skype conversations and letters

28 fingerprints

14 ticket stubs, itineraries, passport copies

4 passport photos

3 supporting letters from friends

1 FBI check

1 medical examination

10 paperclips

some $$$

several undetermined months of waiting for approval

and looking like this (yikes!) until 1pm on several occasions just to become a permanent resident.Steward your citizenshipS wisely.

~Your devoted, we-did-this-for-you, paperwork-fried, brilliant and amazing potential parents

We also welcome your prayers for us (and several close friends in the same boat) as we wait and that our application to be processed speedily and without any difficulty. Thank you.