Green Card!

Yeehaw! Was just talking to Sharon at LBT headquarters. They received a letter for me from INS ... my green card has been approved! All I have to do now is make an appointment at a local INS office and bring in my passport, my old green card and 2 passport type photos. My green card is also retroactive from my date of entry into the US; I believe that was May 1, 2001. Which means that I've been an official permanent resident of the US for more than 4 years. Which I think means that I can apply for citizenship ASAP.

For all of you who have heard this journey to date, you know this is a miracle. It is particularly amazing that I was approved in light of my 3 changes of address in the past year, each change requiring the transfer of my application to a different INS processing center. That should have meant a delay in processing of about 6 months, well beyond the expiry of my temporary green card extension. The window of opportunity in which my application could have been pushed through between the processing of my change of address forms was tiny indeed, beyond my ability to calculate.

For those who have been praying for me in this, I thank you. Know that your prayers have been heard. God has listened and has acted on my behalf.