Yes, We're Still Alive....

To my loyal followers: Yes, we are still alive. I know, there's nothing worse than following a blog and checking in multiple times only to see there has been NO new post. I apologize. We've been under a great deal of stress due to some complications with Wayne's Green Card back in the US.
He has had this for 18 months now and we have to apply to have the "conditions removed" - which means, re-proving that we are, in fact, legitimately married.
As some of you may know, I'm a planner. I am an obsessive-compulsive freak of a planner and I like to have every contingency thought through and planned for. I mean, when I leave the house with Norah, I even plan which pocket I will put her snacks, hat and bottle in so that I can reach each of them without taking off the backpack. I have the exact bus fare in my left pocket as I know I will be carrying Norah on my right hip. Don't even get me started on my planning whenever we take a trip involving the airport and going through security. I am meticulous. (I'm also sure to die of a stress-related illess due to this anal-retentive nature). 
But, unfortunately, when you're dealing with the United States Department of "Homeland Security" and Immigration, many, many things are simply, "up to their discretion". The difficulty this last week has been accepting the fact that I can't 'plan my way' out of this. Despite checking multiple times, with multiple Immigration officers, we have been told now, there may some issues with the fact that we are in Ireland.

Background:
Before we were married, we had to pay several thousand dollars on paperwork fees and lawyers just so that Wayne would not be deported before our wedding. After Norah was born he had his official interview and finally received his green card - his "Provisional Green Card". Now, we go through another huuuuge process, to prove, again, that we are married and that Wayne deserves to keep his green card. This includes a $600 filing fee for 1 single piece of paper. And included in this we must send our "Evidence Packet".

Including, but not altogether limited to:
Christmas cards mailed to the 3 of us.
Our wedding pictures, pictures of us dating, pictures of me pregnant, pictures of Norah, pictures with friends and family, etc.
Plane ticket stubs/itineraries from trips we have taken together
Passport copies
Bank Statements
Utility Bills
Master's degrees/transcripts
Our Will
Signed affidavits from friends/family swearing that we are actually in a real relationship
(and much much more!)

I get very stressed out dealing with these packets of "evidence" as I have to meticulously label and catalog each piece of 'evidence', create a table of contents - not to mention the process of actually photocopying each of these documents. So, that - that part I can handle. I've done it before and I survive.
None of this is the worst part though. The difficulty arises in that, once we send this huge packet, Wayne will be called to do a 9 minute "Biometrics Appointment" (fingerprinting) in SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. And, (this is very rare but sometimes selected at random), if they deem it necessary, the 3 of us can be called for an interview, also in Seattle, Washington. Worst thing in all of this? The Biometrics Appointment and this possible Interview can be more than a month a part. They could be 4 months apart.
And it could be at any point. It could be in May when my Aunt Mary is scheduled to visit us. It could be in June when we were supposed to visit friends in Turkey. It could be in July when Wayne's parents will be here for 2 weeks. OR, if the heavens so choose to bless us, it could be in August, when we are scheduled to be in Seattle. Chances are, this will not be the case. Though for the record, henceforth, we will appreciate any and all prayers that we will be called in August. And that we will not be called for a separate interview.
(And, preferably early August as Wayne is the best man in his best friend's wedding on August 24th in Ontario, Canada.) =) If beggars can be choosers.

So, for the past week I've spent about 7 hours a day working on this evidence packet, calling the US Embassy in Dublin, calling Immigration in the U.S., (only to speak to robots at every turn) and (I do not exaggerate here), every single person has told us different information. Vastly different information. For instance, one evil woman told us that we needed to file this form from the United States and be present IN the United States for the duration of the processing. (6 months!) We have since had 3 higher ranking immigration officers confirm that this is NOT true but this was after I had heart palpitations and Wayne got a stomach flu from the stress. So, the differing information given by these people is sometimes life-alteringly drastic and it is very stressful.

Before we left Seattle, we made sure to speak with Immigration several times about this and we were assured this was a simple process that could all be done from Dublin. They assured us that Wayne only needed to be in the US one time per year in order to maintain his green card.
Some of you may thinking (as we were), well, why not just let the Green Card lapse and forget the whole thing?? Move to Canada! Well, we'd be more than happy to but if we don't comply with each and every thing they ask - Wayne is not allowed back into the United States. Even if we got some officer that somehow let him back in, he wouldn't be able to get a job and would be deported. So, in short, we have to do whatever they say.
I'm trying my very hardest to remain calm about this but it is the first thing I think of when I open my eyelids in the morning, I work on gathering information all day (and sifting through conflicting information) and it is my last thought before closing my eyes at night. I have to let it go and very seriously pray that it will work out.

And keep in mind, none of this would be any issue if we were still in Seattle. We would put together this packet, Wayne would go to his appointments, etc. and we would get his full green card. Now, however, we have to explain why the heck we're in Dublin, Ireland when he just got his green card 18 months ago, we have to explain why we're living here but want Wayne to be a "Permanent Resident" of the USA, etc. etc. Not to mention the exorbitant cost of flying from Dublin to Seattle (especially with a toddler and an 8 hour time difference).

If Wayne is called for the Fingerprinting appointment outside of August (when we'll be going to Seattle) he will have to fly to Seattle by himself as we simply can't put Norah through the 8 hour time change and definitely can't afford the plane tickets. If we are so fortunate as to have the appointment in August, then all will be right again in the Universe! If they turn to complete evil and request Biometrics in June and an interview in October (requiring all 3 of us) then all will be WRONG in the Universe.

Overall Good News: We can file the forms from Dublin and only need to be present for the Biometrics appointment. We can only pray that they allow Wayne to get his full-Green Card and that we can continue living in Ireland.