Saturday, October 15, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
At Last....
I can't believe it's finally here! I will be flying out in about a week to go pick up my kids!!! I'm so excited, but at the same time it doesn't even seem real yet. Honestly, I never expected to get a visa printing date only a week out! I thought I'd have several weeks to plan! But I'm glad I don't!
Everything is in fast forward right now. Trying to find a flight. Deciding what to do once I get to Accra (take the bus or fly to Kumasi). Trying to really decide what all I want to get done while I'm there. This whole time I'd been planning to stay about 3 weeks on the pick-up trip. That's just not realistic anymore. I can't pay for a hotel and taxis for that long! So my trip has been shortened to about a week. I hope it will be enough! I wish my husband and oldest daughter could come this time! They are missing out on so much!!
I'm actually almost done packing. Just need to find a few more pairs of sandals, and all of the stores seem to be out! I've already gotten about 20 frantic calls from the orphanage, making sure I don't forget to bring 'toffee' (candy)!
I really can't believe I'll be seeing them again in about a week!!!
Everything is in fast forward right now. Trying to find a flight. Deciding what to do once I get to Accra (take the bus or fly to Kumasi). Trying to really decide what all I want to get done while I'm there. This whole time I'd been planning to stay about 3 weeks on the pick-up trip. That's just not realistic anymore. I can't pay for a hotel and taxis for that long! So my trip has been shortened to about a week. I hope it will be enough! I wish my husband and oldest daughter could come this time! They are missing out on so much!!
I'm actually almost done packing. Just need to find a few more pairs of sandals, and all of the stores seem to be out! I've already gotten about 20 frantic calls from the orphanage, making sure I don't forget to bring 'toffee' (candy)!
I really can't believe I'll be seeing them again in about a week!!!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Silence....
Ok. I'm gonna have to be a drama queen for a minute. WHERE ARE MY KIDS AND WHY IS NO ONE ANSWERING THE PHONE IN GHANA!?! The last embassy appointment was supposed to be yesterday. My rep ALWAYS answers her phone. But I have called all day today with no luck! It's so strange that she wouldn't have called yesterday to tell me how the embassy appointment went. I need some info! I need to know that her & the kids are okay. And some good news about their visas would be a nice bonus.
I HATE living on a different continent than my kids! WAAAAAAA!
Okay. I'm done now. And to all of my real life friends, whom I graciously spared from verbally hearing my drama queen moment- you're welcome.
I HATE living on a different continent than my kids! WAAAAAAA!
Okay. I'm done now. And to all of my real life friends, whom I graciously spared from verbally hearing my drama queen moment- you're welcome.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Tuesday It Is...
My rep in Ghana will be going back to the Embassy on Tuesday, October 11th to turn in our paperwork. A whole day early! You know it's sad when I'm really that excited about one day. It's just one day! But I guess after waiting 'one more day' for 657 days, that's how people start acting!
The kids must know it is close. Joseph calls constantly to see if I know when I am coming. I'm not sure who is more excited- my children, or him!
On Monday, I got to speak to Yaa Serwaa for a minute. Usually, she will ask to speak to her "seesta". But this time she said, "I want to speak to Malorie". It was so cute! I didn't know she knew Malorie's name! (She must have learned it from the drawings & cards Malorie sent to her.) It totally made Malorie's day. It's so funny though- they just say 'hello' back and forth a few times. That's their whole conversation pretty much!
So now to the ever-asked question: When do the kids come home?
Well, who knows! Several people lately have had their visas approved on the spot. Their visas are being printed within a few weeks of their visa interview. Others have turned in all of their paperwork at the visa interview, and are still in the 'administrative processing' stage for months & counting. So I guess it's like the lottery. Everybody knows how our luck has been so far, so say a prayer for us on Tuesday! We need it!
The kids must know it is close. Joseph calls constantly to see if I know when I am coming. I'm not sure who is more excited- my children, or him!
On Monday, I got to speak to Yaa Serwaa for a minute. Usually, she will ask to speak to her "seesta". But this time she said, "I want to speak to Malorie". It was so cute! I didn't know she knew Malorie's name! (She must have learned it from the drawings & cards Malorie sent to her.) It totally made Malorie's day. It's so funny though- they just say 'hello' back and forth a few times. That's their whole conversation pretty much!
So now to the ever-asked question: When do the kids come home?
Well, who knows! Several people lately have had their visas approved on the spot. Their visas are being printed within a few weeks of their visa interview. Others have turned in all of their paperwork at the visa interview, and are still in the 'administrative processing' stage for months & counting. So I guess it's like the lottery. Everybody knows how our luck has been so far, so say a prayer for us on Tuesday! We need it!
Friday, September 30, 2011
The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week...
I used to love that book: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. It was funny then. Not so much when your whole week goes that way!
Everybody knows the visa interviews didn't go as planned. But to add to the frustration- the cost to FedEx the new piece of paperwork was $117. Not to mention the extra $500 that had to be sent to finish the adoption. (My rep lives 8 hours from Accra. So every time she goes to the embassy she has to take the kids, spend the night & eat there. Which is all more expensive than it is in Offinso.)
Then, last Friday, my van's transmission broke. I just bought this van 2 months ago to accomodate my soon-to-be-larger family. After getting quotes from dozens of mechanics, I made a decision. Of course, they found something else in the transmission that was broken. So my $1,400 repair is now a $2,400 repair.
The whole week has been so frustrating that it's almost comical! Just like the book.
Everybody knows the visa interviews didn't go as planned. But to add to the frustration- the cost to FedEx the new piece of paperwork was $117. Not to mention the extra $500 that had to be sent to finish the adoption. (My rep lives 8 hours from Accra. So every time she goes to the embassy she has to take the kids, spend the night & eat there. Which is all more expensive than it is in Offinso.)
Then, last Friday, my van's transmission broke. I just bought this van 2 months ago to accomodate my soon-to-be-larger family. After getting quotes from dozens of mechanics, I made a decision. Of course, they found something else in the transmission that was broken. So my $1,400 repair is now a $2,400 repair.
The whole week has been so frustrating that it's almost comical! Just like the book.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
A Big Mess...
Sadly, that's what I think about our embassy right now! I hate to say that, because whoever answers the email seems pretty nice. But man, are they not on the same page over there!
I had emailed them recently about our follow up appointment. First, they said the problem with the first visa attempt was that my rep provided a photocopy of the POA, & all they needed was an original. That wasn't true. She had the original, notarized copy- it just didn't have the birthdates on them.
So I told them that the embassy officer at our interview asked for birthdates on the POA. I also said I had mailed it to Ghana & asked when my rep could bring it in. They promptly emailed back to say she had been given an open appointment, & could bring it any Monday, Tuesday or Thursday at 1pm.
I called my rep today. She said the embassy officer had given her an appt card for October the 12th, not an open appointment!
So there you have it- a big mess! It seems that this particular officer is doing her own thing, and the embassy has no idea! It's a little ridiculous that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing!
The point of all this rambling is: I don't know when our rep will turn in the new POA. She is scared that she will travel 8 hours to Accra, pay to spend the night there, and then not be let in if she goes before October 12th. Do better America!!!
I had emailed them recently about our follow up appointment. First, they said the problem with the first visa attempt was that my rep provided a photocopy of the POA, & all they needed was an original. That wasn't true. She had the original, notarized copy- it just didn't have the birthdates on them.
So I told them that the embassy officer at our interview asked for birthdates on the POA. I also said I had mailed it to Ghana & asked when my rep could bring it in. They promptly emailed back to say she had been given an open appointment, & could bring it any Monday, Tuesday or Thursday at 1pm.
I called my rep today. She said the embassy officer had given her an appt card for October the 12th, not an open appointment!
So there you have it- a big mess! It seems that this particular officer is doing her own thing, and the embassy has no idea! It's a little ridiculous that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing!
The point of all this rambling is: I don't know when our rep will turn in the new POA. She is scared that she will travel 8 hours to Accra, pay to spend the night there, and then not be let in if she goes before October 12th. Do better America!!!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
New POA & the Embassy...
It's in Ghana. The new power of attorney letter with the kids' birthdates. Our representative said that FedEx called her yesterday to say that she could pick it up in Kumasi today.
In other news- I had emailed the embassy to ask why they scheduled our next appointment for Oct 12th, instead of giving us an open appointment- which is the norm. They actually emailed back very quickly to say that we were given an open appointment. The new paperwork can be brought in any Monday, Tuesday or Thursday! So, I'm not sure where the Oct 12th idea came from. Maybe the officer had told our rep wrong. Maybe that's just when she planned to return. Who knows.
But anyways- I asked our rep if she could just go straight from Kumasi today & spend the night in Accra so the paperwork could be turned in immediately. She said she wasn't sure, but would decide today after she picked up the paperwork.
So, that's where we are. I hate not knowing when our paperwork will be turned in. Hopefully I will find out sometime tonight. Hopefully it will all happen sooner than later.
In other news- I had emailed the embassy to ask why they scheduled our next appointment for Oct 12th, instead of giving us an open appointment- which is the norm. They actually emailed back very quickly to say that we were given an open appointment. The new paperwork can be brought in any Monday, Tuesday or Thursday! So, I'm not sure where the Oct 12th idea came from. Maybe the officer had told our rep wrong. Maybe that's just when she planned to return. Who knows.
But anyways- I asked our rep if she could just go straight from Kumasi today & spend the night in Accra so the paperwork could be turned in immediately. She said she wasn't sure, but would decide today after she picked up the paperwork.
So, that's where we are. I hate not knowing when our paperwork will be turned in. Hopefully I will find out sometime tonight. Hopefully it will all happen sooner than later.
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