the latest on adoption

So our computer officially died this week and we've ordered a new one. Hopefully we will get it by the end of the week. So I've been at the mercy of my husband each day when he brings the work computer home... thus the quiet blog week.

The latest scoop on the adoption front may be good news, or may not...we'll see how it goes. If you remember, we've been working on obtaining that elusive letter on somekind of official Chinese letterhead stating that we are not child abusers (or stating that they have no such registry.) Well after several weeks of my good friend, Lisa, running around the 3rd largest city in the world with many many different documentation that was fed-exed half way around the world to her door step- she basicially ran into many dead ends. As of the last report she had been turned away from 3 different police offices with a firm no to her request for the "letter".

As Lisa was breaking her neck 12 time zones away, I was exhausting all possibilities here. I called the Chinese consulate in NYC. I actually did get to talk to a woman there and as I explained to her what it was that I needed she did the old "uh hu, uh hu, uh hu" on the other end. When I finished she said, "wait a moment" then I heard a muffled chinese conversation in the background and then she re-addressed me with a "please repeat your problem." I said it even slower and less complicated. She suggested I try a different number. I asked what office she was having me call- the passport and visa office in NYC. Ummm... Im no expert but I was pretty sure I've played this game before. But b/c her english wasn't going to improve and my Chinese was certainly not going to get my meaning across, I called this new number. Ahh... just as I suspected... a recorded menu with no live person to talk to in ANY kind of language.

Next stop, my congressman. My mom lives and breathes politics and when I told her about what was going on she all but forced me to call Congressman Mike Turner. "That's what he was elected to do-- help you." So naturally, I talked to Kim in his office (I believe "Mike" as I like to call him) had bigger fish to fry that day. Kim suggested I contact the Chinese Embassy in DC (she suggest emailing to circumvent the language barrier.) Oh, yeah, but unfortunately due to the Olympics, a lot of information had been removed from the website. So the only email address available had the word visa in it. (again, not being an expert but pretty experienced w/ travel and dealing with China, I knew that did not bode well for my getting a child abuse letter.) I tried calling the Embassy phone number- another automated maze. What happened to the day when you could actually talk to someone? At this point, I don't even care WHAT language they speak. I'm desperate here people!

So can someone give us an A for effort???

Our social worker did. She is going to thoroughly explain in the text of our Home Study all of the avenues we have tried to pursue. So it looks like we are going to have our completed Home Study this week, allowing us to send in our I-800A form (the form that goes to HomeLand security) that, when and if, we are approved will allow us to send our Dossier (packet of forms/documents and application for adoption) to the Chinese government. ALL OF THAT means----- we're on our way baby!!! Pray Pray Pray that Homeland security will not be ridiculous and that they will see that we have made every attempt possible to produce that letter. What a crazy-maker!