Submitted for EP!

Today I am rejoicing over the news that our lil' peanut's paperwork was finally submitted to the ministry!  And I am earnestly praying for all the mamas who are still in the place where I was just this morning.  The place of uncertainty, the place of an aching heart...the place of waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  I know.  And I'm thinking of you.

I had heard rumors of a 3rd batch being submitted on the 2nd, but if I've learned anything in this process it's not to trust the rumors.  But, based on our acceptance date, I knew we would be in the 3rd batch so I've been checking my email like a crazy person these last few days.  This morning I was emailing back and forth with a friend from our agency who was submitted in batch 2 and just got EP approval.  She asked if I had heard anything.  I told her no and then asked if our country specialist called or emailed her when they were submitted.  Literally the second I hit send my cell phone rang!

I didn't recognize the number so figured it might be a telemarketer.  But, then I thought "That's weird, telemarketers usually call my home phone.  How did they get my cell phone number?"  I answered.  And a woman's voice said "Hi Rachel?"  "Yes" I answered.  "It's J from CHSFS"  And that's when my waterworks started.  "Hi J."  Trust me, I wrote that much clearer than I said it.  Oh no, what if she is calling about something totally random like an expired piece of paperwork.  I'm going to feel like an idiot for crying if this isn't about our EP submission.  And then I'm going to cry harder when I find out this isn't about our EP submission.  "I have good news for you."  Ok, I'm going to cry harder regardless.  "Your little guy's paperwork was submitted to the ministry."

And a huge wave of relief just washed over me.  I got off the phone with her and immediately started calling my mom.  I can't call my husband (sound familiar?  Same thing happened on referral day!) and I am dying to share this news.  She is not answering.  Cell phone, house phone, my Dad's cell phone.  Where are they?  What are they doing?  Ahhhh!  My brother's cell phone.  Not answering!  People, where are you?!?  Finally I get my mom on her cell phone.  And I am hysterical.  The first words out of my mouth are not about the reason I'm crying.  Nope, instead I decide to yell at her for not answering her phone!  Ha!  Not really yell, but sob/blubber/cry that "I've been trying to call you.  Why didn't you answer your phone?  Why weren't you answering your phone?!?"  Let's see, my husband is deployed, I have a young child at home, I have a history of  strange medical issues that sometimes land me in the emergency room...it was so kind of me to totally freak her out, right? ;)  I finally got out that our paperwork had been submitted.  She said, "Oh!  These are happy tears!  I thought something was wrong."  Where did she get that idea? ;)

The 10th of this month will mark 16 months since I first saw my baby's face.  Oh, it has been a long 16 months.  We do have some more waiting in store for us, but I am finally seeing the light at the end of this tunnel.  I will get another phone call when we receive EP approval (3-8 weeks from now) and then the long awaited TRAVEL CALL (1-3 weeks after EP approval)  So, essentially, in 1-2 months I will be in the same country as my son.  The same room!  Oh my heart.

My mom pointed out that today is the National Day of Prayer.  I didn't know that, but it is certainly fitting.  I know there have been a lot of people praying my sweet boy home.  We're almost there.