Cool or complete geek?

Today I talked to 3 different adoption agencies, 2 Congressman offices, emailed USCIS 3 times, faxed a note to the CIS, and communicated with the Embassy in Moscow. Does that make me the coolest kid on the block, or the geekiest?

I found out that yes, the competent employees at the Chicago USCIS are requiring us to complete the checklist for the Hague countries. Basically, when you adopt internationally, you need approval to do so from the USCIS. there are 2 forms - the one you use depends on which country you are adopting from. One is for Hague countries, and the other is for non-Hague countries.

Seems simple, right?

Well, Russia is not a Hague country. But the USCIS is making us adhere to the Hague country requirements. According to the agency the most-in-the know: "Most CIS offices are totally uninformed about the difference between Hague and non-Hague countries, and are wanting all h/s to be in the Hague format."

Nice.

What does this mean? Our social worker had to pull a rabbit out of a hat and redo our home study today. She worked with another person at another agency who is an expert in Hague country requirements...between the 2 of them, they figured it out and faxed it off to USCIS.

In the mean time, I am going to make some kind of formal complaint via our Congressman about this. We as tax payers, pay these people's salaries - we pay for them to know what they are doing! I shouldn't have to fight a battle to prove that Russia isn't a Hague country for cryin' out loud!

Our Congressman's office has been great. Our contact there called me today and said "Kathy, I've been thinking about this all last night and all day today, something about it doesn't sit right in my spirit. We need to stay involved until the end".

And yes, I still do have hair...however I have picked off all of my nice fingernails.