Letters From China Pt 5 - Finale!

Hey all!

 

After an incredibly difficult 24 hours we are resting in the hotel before departing for Hong Kong this afternoon, a trip we were not sure we were going to be able to make.

 

We went to our Visa appointment yesterday at the Consulate and were waiting for the group before us in a different location for roughly an hour when our tour guide came running up to us and told us to come quickly. We rushed through the streets as she explained that the world wide computer system was down and she was going to try to get us into the appointment before us to take our oath so that we could possibly get our Visa before we were supposed to leave the country. If you think that sounds confusing and like an incredibly big deal, it was, and it is!

 

When we arrived down the street at the Consulate they wouldn't let us in and told us there was no way we could get our Visa appointment that day. Our very calm and collected guide turned to us and said "Prepare for the worst." I looked at her and said, "Give it to me straight, Shiyan, what is the worst." Her reply...."I don't know." NOT GOOD!

 

As we waited for the other group of families already inside the Consulate Shiyan, our guide, tried to help us make plans in the case that we were not able to leave the country, suggesting even that the husbands could return home to the United States and the wives could continue on after our Visas were complete. This was not comforting as to me this meant at least another week in our hotel room, possibly without Tony. I began to mentally prepare how we could get Roman, Leilah and Jericho over to China with us - my brain shifted to survival mode. We were all panicking, especially because Shiyan had told us on our way to the Consulate that in the decades she's been doing this the system had only ever gone down twice.

 

We left the Consulate with no information and no guarantee we could be seen, at all. All the information we had was, the system is down, it's a worldwide shutdown, we don't know when it will be up again, go back to your hotel, wait.

 

Needless to say, we came back to the hotel and I lost it. Cairo fell asleep in the van on the way back so while he slept I pretty much fell apart. Tony comforted me and then got to the business of finding out what was going on. Apparently, there was some sort of security breach and the system had to be rebooted. Something about Russians and email...I don't know.

 

We went to bed only knowing that we could be seen the next day, Tuesday at 3PM to take our oath, maybe. The visas take 24 hours to turn around and our plane leaves Wednesday at 11AM. We did the math - we were not leaving - not Wednesday at least.

 

In the morning we got up slowly, and went to breakfast where we were greeted by another family, "Did Shiyan find you? We are all leaving at 9AM. We are getting our appointments". 

 

We ate fast, changed and met everyone in the lobby, unsure if the system was working and if we would get our Visas in time.

 

Well, we've had our appointment and they assured us at the Consulate that they will not leave the building until our Visas are prepared. Shiyan is scheduled to pick them up today at 3PM so we can leave for Hong Kong, where tomorrow we will board a plane at 11AM to fly home. 

 

We are hopeful the Visas will be ready today and we will be able to travel as scheduled. Thank  you everyone for your prayers and encouragement. This is, in fact, the most difficult thing we have ever done. We can't wait to get home and begin our "new normal" with Cairo in our family. 

 

We can't wait to see you all and introduce you to this amazing boy who is worth every single second of hardship!

 

Love you guys!

 

*After this email we did receive our Visa's on time and we were able to travel to Hong Kong on our orignial schedule. Below is the final email I sent before leaving China:

 

We are about to board our plane home! See you SOON!

 

*The plane ride went very well, considering we were traveling 14 hours with a 3 year old. We had a wonderful flight attendant who spoke Mandarin that doted on him and helped us put him to sleep by rubbing his hands and feet. We landed in Chicago and had to drive home (our other option was a 10 hour lay over). The drive wasn't that bad considering it was the first time Cairo had ever been strapped into a car seat and he did NOT love it. 

 

The next two to three days were spent acclimating everyone to each other and struggling with jetlag. I could do a whole post on jetlag and how horrible it is. I think I will. However, once we hurdled that bump in the road things have been going well. We are still making sure to keep things regulated and we can't wait to get back to church. The older kids are back in school and I have been able to do some short outings with Cairo and Jericho during the day. We are slowly working back to normal and we are grateful for all of our friends and family who are helping us along.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We have felt every prayer and have benefited so much from the generosity of others. Thank you for loving our son so well! I can't wait to update more as normal sets in!