Keeping his picture on top.
Ok, I'm not complaining, I'm grateful to be at this point for sure, I really am a just get it done kind of a person. I thought I was prepared for the TA. Nope. Not at all. Not in the least. Holly Cow. Last couple days have been so crazy.
You can't apply for a travel visa without travel dates, hotels, addresses and TA from China (which is a formal document giving us permission to come and get Luk, an invitation). When I heard Nov 18, I was thinking it was the end of Oct so I had over two weeks. Nope again. Only 10 days and it was already late afternoon. I downloaded the visa application and started filling it in online, realized I was missing some information, went to e-mail Fonnie and then promply deleted my work. Then printed them out so I could handwrite them. Called Eric at home and asked him to go in the safe and get a couple documents. Called the adoption agency, called the travel agent, called the travle visa place. Figured out really quickly that we have a major time crunch made even worse with a long weekend in there. Decide that Eric will fly over and deliver the applications and documents in person in the morning, then hear that there is a storm on the way and quickly change the plan to him taking the ferry over instead, thinking they'll run longer if there is a storm. Meet the family at Walmart and have some visa photos taken. Buy some diapers and shoes for Luk now that we have his size. Get my hair cut at Walmart because I know the odds of getting mine done this Sat. are slim where I normally go. Loved the hair cut. Bought advent calendars for the kidlets since we'll be arriving home Nov 29. Take Fei and go to the dollar store and get all of the wrapping paper and gift bags we need and some ear buds for Eric to use on the plane (Fei downloaded some music for him) also remembered to get new luggage locks since I have locks and keys but can't seem to get anything to match. Phew. Get home, Jia is sleeping and I'm relieved because I can quietly get some paperwork finished for the visas. Realize that they want a self addressed, prepaid return courier bag at 10, so call my Mom to come with me to the office (because I'm afraid of the dark and the office is super spooky in the dark). We get home at 11, show Eric what all of it is. He crashes on the couch because he and Scott have to get up at 4am to make the 6:30 ferry. Jia wakes up at 11:30 ready to party since she is well rested. Get her snacks and some juice and take her to my bedroom and we play unitl 1:00am. Set my alarm for 4:00am.
I got up this morning feeling like supermom. Kids are up, I had time for a shower, lunches are packed, kids have their dance shoes and phones because it's Wed. and Mom pickes them up from school. I've packed Jia's tablet, her leapster and snacks because she's going to work with me. Had thought to stay home then realized Sue had to be in Victoria. Eric called, he was there, all seemed ok. Then he called back. Problem. He had given me Lili's adoption papers and Chinese passport. ARG. I never checked. So, all effort was for naught. Then he called back, told me if I went home I could photo copy Jia's and e-mail them in. Ok. Grab Jia, race home and then have to call Eric back. Jia's passport from China isn't expired until 2015. Again, all for naught. Can only get away with a photo copy if it's expired. The stress. OMG. Now I'm driving back to work and my guts are hurting and I notice I have hives starting on my arms and Jia is demanding that I take her back to work and I've told her 20 times that we ARE going back to work. I scanned and e-mailed them and then called Eric feeling all defeated. He put Cynthia on the phone and she said Eric could write a declaration that the passport was lost. Great. I told her that at this point I was fine and comfortable with lying. Now the Chinese passport is in a courier bag ready to go and Cynthia will take it to the consolate tomorrow and say it was found. No time lost. Had to pay the upcharge for faster service and it's substantial but if all else goes ok it should be here by Tues. We leave next Friday.
Yesterday I forgot to ask if the TA was on the way from China or from Victoria. Huge difference. Then we find out that the Consulate now requires a copy of the TA. Eric phoned Fonnie and let her know he was in Vancouver and she said it just came into their office, so obviously from Victoria - phew. Fonnie was able to scan a copy to Cynthia in time for the visa application drop today too. Major phew.
I just got an e-mail with our confirmed adoption date, TA (dated Oct. 24) attached and there is a tiny picture of baby Luk attached that we don't have. It's grainy and black and white, hoping the original color photo is attached to the original TA. Also have our Hague Convention Notification of Agreement letter. They are being couriered to us and should be here tomorrow.
It's crazy here at the end for sure, but it's happening, it's finally happening. Now, how to unclench and try to relax a bit?! I know I say it often, I am just NOT a relaxed person. Need to find some lunch for Jia and I now. She has no clue there is anything amiss. She has been having a blast being a working girl and she has kept Grampa very, very busy this morning. Sure hope he didn't mind :)
With Jia's adoption we needed to get flights during a school break and it was a nightmare. Mom and I spent two whole days on the phone and we paid dearly for flights that left at 3am. I'm happy to report that this time the flights are the cheapest I've ever seen and they seem available. Just working with our travel agent now. Hoping they'll be booked today.
