Waiting on Board

I sit here and try to remember all the details again - but it seems so strange to me. I remember that once we saw the tide turn and things looking more hopeful, we gave ourselves time to be still and reminisce. I was so amazed by the support, I cannot express it enough. The money raised through the Paypal account my sister started helped pay the bills during this time so we didn't have to worry. Our friends Joe and Melissa gave us money to pay our mortgage so we don't lose our home in the midst of all this. People donated for a garage sale and our friends even ran it. The money helped us stay afloat during these months and I began looking at reorganizing my life and starting all over. Dan continued his job as a detention officer at the jail, and I began thinking about putting the kids back in school and stopping home-school. It was truly a new beginning for our family.

There were some hang-ups during this time, a lot of odds and end paperwork we had to fill out, a lot of processing and looking for lost documents, deadlines and rushing to comply with it all. The time in the midst waiting for the Board of Immigration Appeals in Virginia was nerve-wrecking! We tried living the best we knew how, had out home ready to sell, and packed up our belongings just in case. There was no national coverage to my knowledge at the time, so we just prayed daily that our case would be approved and we would get a chance to reopen our case. If this happened, our lawyer would apply on our behalf as he did with our mom, and as it has been done with many foreigners, and we would fill out the needed paperwork and go through the necessary procedures and get our green cards. If Virginia denied our case again, as they have done in the past when my dad applied for our family, then we would not be able to apply for permanent residency, and would be in the same boat, probably having to go back to Serbia and wait up to or at least ten years (not sure which one because we have gotten both answers ) before we can return and try again. We were open to this by now, and knew whatever happened, it would be for our best. It was pretty scary to think about moving our entire family across the seas as my parents did, only to a place far less advanced, and without any plans.

We were told that it takes at least three months for the Board of Appeals to look at our case and decide our fate. We were told that it also depends in whose hands our case falls, and what kind of day they're having as well as their personal take on our background and case. It sounded like a gamble, but we put our trust in the LORD. Just like everything else worked out in our favor regardless of what we were told, so did this: only about a month after our case was sent to Virginia, we received the great news that they approved our appeal to reopen our case! It didn't take at least three months, and we had no complications! It was amazing and we were beyond thrilled!

We met with ICE following the news, and the officer said he has NEVER seen the BIA in VA totally dismiss and close a case without having to go through additional trials. He was shocked - I said God is for us! Our case with the monitoring agency was closed. No more trips to check in and no more phone calls. No more trips to the ICE office. Now we only work with our lawyer and get all of our paperwork checked off and turned in! This is the news we have been waiting to hear and our family was so happy! My mom said, "Of course you stay, what - you think you be going back to Serbia - no way!" We laugh and take a load off, but most of all relief was the word. 

We had a few more hiccups because our tax returns from the prior year did not fit the recommended bracket because Dan had lost his job, and his new one did not provide sufficient funds. George and mom pledged as guardians over me and we filled out more paperwork and it looked like all was set up for our final interview! 

I believe the news did some follow up stories and once again, we are beyond thankful for all of their support and help because they played a super significant role in changing the direction our case was headed. We are forever thankful for all of our family, friends, coworkers, supporters across the globe, and the media who helped us! We love you all and owe you never-ending gratitude!