A Big Red Stamp of Approval

So today was the most anticipated interview day! We received a notice in the mail more than a month ago informing us that Efren and I needed to show ourselves at the Department of Homeland Security on 1/23/09 at 12:45 in the afternoon with everything legal ever issued to us throughout our entire lives. Ok, maybe those weren't the exact words, but that is what they meant! Good thing my husband pays incredible attention to detail and is so organized! He had everything from the title of our car to pictures of us (looking like we are really in love) to an indepth medical exam...originals and copies of everything! Wow, it was a huge folder.
We showed up at homeland security at 12:15...excessively early, you say?? I agree. But there's no arguing about it, we are gonna do it his way. No problem. Early is always better than late, right? On time works too. Anyway, in hopes that we might be called first of all the 12:45 appointments we get through security and find our seats at 12:20, before the 12:30 appointments arrive. So now we wait. and wait. and wait. for all the Jose Manuels and Ikabana Sotubas to get called before us. Everytime the door opens we hold our breath....nothing. Until 1:45...FINALLY! They call Efren's name and we make our way back to the office of our interrogator. Good thing Obama closed that prison and did away with Jack Bauer-esque torture techniques because I'm afraid we may have gotten a taste. First we had to stand, raise our right hand, and swear that what we were saying was "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help us...." yes help us Lord Jesus! The next several minutes were filled with pointed questions aimed at finding a loop hole in our relationship and proof that he paid me to marry him to get the green card. I believe the exact words were, "Cayce, do you feel like you have been had?" umm, no. "Well, there is gonna be alot of people mad if you are." umm, yes. "When did you meet? Where were you? What time of day? When was the last time you were in the US? Why did you come? Where were you living? Do you have any children? First marriage? Parents names? Shoe size? Boxers or briefs?" Ok...maybe I made a few of those up....but seriously it was nerve-racking! This woman has so much power over us at this moment and she won't even smile!! "Have you ever been in trouble inside or outside the United States?" To this question Efren replies," What do you mean?" "You know what trouble means!" The woman snaps back....yikes! Yes, right now I am feeling like I'm in trouble!
I am able to hear what is going on in some of the offices around us....giggles, laughter, jokes...seriously? I want to be in one of those rooms!
After 40 minutes of this lie detector test it was over. A huge red stamp reading, "APPROVED" was smashed over the top of our huge folder. REALLY?! I believe I kicked Efren under the table...ever so slightly of course as to not alert the officer. Who knows what she could do at this point, but I don't want to find out. She probably has a red stamp eraser in her drawer. She walks us out and it takes us getting out the door, past security before we feel like we really made it! Whew! YAY!!! 4-8 weeks or possibly sooner is when we were told to expect the green card. Praise the Lord. So many things could have gone wrong, but the Lord got us through! Thank you to everybody who has been praying for us. It feels great to be done with the whole immigration process. Now all we need to do is pray the actual card doesn't get lost in the mail!
Congratulations, my new US Permanent Resident!!