July 2004 - Entry 2

Well the fingerprinting is done. Actually it was almost fun. We had heard evil stories about the INS office in Denver and were fully prepared to sit there for several hours. We arrived about 9:00 am (they actually opened at 8am but we were running a tad late). There was a line out the door. We gasped of course and got inline. Luckily, the line was just for checking in and most of the people ahead of us were not there to be fingerprinted. Once checked in, we only had to wait about ten minutes before they called our numbers. This INS office utilizes the fancy digital scanning which requires no ink. They squirt a bunch of lotion onto your palms (actually it was plain Cornhuskers lotion) and have you rub it in really well. They start pressing your fingers onto a glass scanner. It really was almost fun! It was neat watching the computer scan the fingerprints and then tell you if its acceptable or if it has to be rescanned. Modern technology is great. All in all, we were in the INS office for about a half an hour. The technician that did my fingerprinting handed me a survey card that I was most eager to fill out. They received an excellent review. Their people were friendly and efficient and there was not a long wait. We did hear that Saturdays at the INS office is a total nightmare. I'm glad we planned ahead.

From here we are waiting on our I171H from immigration. I know it can take one to six weeks to get his, but I am HOPEFUL from the rumors I have been hearing online. One couple received their I171H in two and a half weeks (from the Denver office no less.) Come on immigration. Our baby is waiting. I want our paperwork sent off to China by the end of August. Its a realistic goal I think. Everyone pray!!!