Yet Another Delay!!!

I want some good news to post!!!!!
Our Article 5 was supposed to be picked up August 5th. It was not. I don't know why.  I emailed the Consulate in Guangzhou to confirm that it was picked up, and they wrote me back in just a few minutes to say that they were sorry, but it was not picked up by our facilitator and that no one called or emailed them the reason why. They said to please contact my agency. I had already done that, but had not gotten a response. I emailed the agency again, and got a response this morning, saying it would be picked up Monday, but there was no explanation.  I don't understand why things aren't done when they are supposed to be done, because 2 days can cost weeks in traveling. All of this has lost us 2 weeks, which pushes us later traveling by an amount of time that only God knows. Not only does it take us that much longer to get our daughter, but the closer we get to the Chinese holidays in October, the higher the hotels cost, like 3 times as much.

I'm really happy for those people who have moved faster. I think it's wonderful that their children are getting to be with their forever families sooner.  I will admit, however, that it frustrates me that people whose LIDs were over a month after mine, got their LOAs on the same day as me, and now they are either in China or leaving within a week.  I know this to be the case with several families because there were so many who got their LOAs on 6/7/10 like us.  Of course, there are also those families who are running into snags of all kinds, like us, or worse.  It upsets me most for the children.

I mailed Raeanna another little care package yesterday.  She's probably given up on us ever coming, so I wanted her to know we haven't forgotten her. This one had another photo book of our family with pictures of her included. It also had a couple of small toys, and some fruit snacks, animal crackers, and fruit candies for the children and the caretakers.

If they do indeed pick up our Article 5 on Monday, we will hopefully get TA within 2-3 weeks.  It'll take another couple of weeks to arrange flights, consulate appointment, and in-country travel and hotels. Of course,  I'm going to have everything ready on my side of it to leave that day! Many people have gotten TAs within 2 weeks. Maybe the last step will be our fast one! Please pray for a speedy TA! Please pray for Bob also, as he's getting nervous about being gone from his company that long and on short notice.