[NMmama]

I posted below and I wanted to give an update. Here is a synopsis of our story:
We adopted Daughter 1 in 4/04 from Nicaragua. She was 10 years old. She is a relative of my husband's and was in an abusive, neglectful home. We got her here on the I-600. She has done wonderfully and is such an amazing girl.
Shortly after, we started adoption proceedings for Daughter 2, Daughter 1's full biological sister. We completed her adoption in Nicaragua in 10/07 and sent in the documents for the I-600 in January of 08 (there were some delays in getting them). We received the denial of the I-600 in May 08. The denial was based on the fact that she is not an orphan. While that is true, Daughter 1's I-600 was approved, ostensibly on the supposition that she was an orphan based on abandonment (her parents had given her away many years before).
We travelled to Nicaragua in June of 08. We explained the situation to the Embassy and requested a student visa. Our daughter was issued a student visa, allowing her to come to our home for at least 18 months. After two years of custody we will be able to file the I-130. It was really through only the kind hearts of the people at the Embassy and the grace of God that we have her here with us right now.
I wanted to share my story because there are probably other families going through this right now. Please be very careful when you start adoption proceedings in another country that you know exactly what status you will file and that your child fits the criteria. If she had not been issued the student visa, my husband would have had to move to Nicaragua for two years or we would have needed to find a foriegn boarding school.
Thanks for the prior emails and suggestions I received from everyone.

[drasusi]

Wow, sounds like things came together as you needed them to....wonderful for both girls that you found a way to bring them together again!