Well, originally we were going to take off work tomorrow to go to Chicago to get our visas at the Chinese Consulate. You are not allowed to mail in your visa applications, so I assumed you had to go in person. Nope! You can use a courier. I found one in Channahon, Illinois called "There's Always Hope!" Denise Hope is the owner.
I nervously filled a FedEx envelope with visa applications for all 3 of us, ALL 3 of our passports, and a check for $490 ($140 per visa for the consulate, plus a courier fee of $70). The nervous part is that right now I don't have our passports in hand and that is a very insecure feeling for a control freak like me!
Anyway, I noticed while tracking it on line that the package seemed to just stop. After a few days of it not moving, I began emailing FedEx and Denise to figure out what was up. FedEx informed Denise that I had the wrong city; instead of Channahon, I had entered Wilmington. I found that somewhat easy to believe, because at the exact same time I sent that package, I sent a separate one to our adoption agency, which happens to be located in Wilmington, Delaware. China had changed the rules on something and I had to get off yet another signed letter from me & Brock.
Anyway, I was really kicking myself over such a careless mistake, because this was the ONE package I was nervous about sending. Well, once Denise finally got the package, she emailed me to let me know that *I* had written the correct city, Channahon. Whoever processed the package at FedEx, however, had entered Wilmington on the sticker that they place on the package. Obviously, they glanced at my other package, which was dropped in the box at the same time. I was quite relieved to be "off the hook", plus now I get a $24.28 credit from FedEx!
Denise took our applications to the consulate this past Monday and if I understand correctly, will pick them up tomorrow, so I should receive them some time next week (please pray that they don't get lost). We are also still awaiting the NVC Cable notification (let's us know our case has been sent to the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou).
By the way, another family adopting from LongGang (Shaling's orphanage/welfare center) is heading to China tomorrow to get their new little "ladybug". They are blogging about their journey here: http://agardenofgrace.blogspot.com/. I plan to follow their journey for at least the next two weeks. It won't be long before it is us heading off to China!
This blog began as a place to share Shaling's journey from rice in China to popcorn in Illinois. However, it has evolved to include all sorts of happenings in the Reynolds family.
No comments:
Post a Comment