Hey Everyone....sorry I got tired last night and didn't get the post up from yesterday. Taking the kids to the park then will get you all caught up on yesterday. Luv to all 3 more days!
Silvia and Jaime picked us up at 8:00AM to go to the Embassy. We piled into the van and off we went. It took about 45 minutes to get there due to the traffic. It was totally different than I expected. I expected to see something like you would see on TV where you go through these large iron gates into this huge open courtyard-like area where there are huge beautiful buildings on both sides and many American flags flying. NOT...The embassy is gated but, mostly with a large white block wall. On a back road there is one wall where a gold seal that says "United States Embassy". Jaime droped us off then we walked down this long sidewalk where there were several lines of people outside the walls. We walked right up to the front of the line as because of the adoption we have special privelages. Through security we go (similar to that at the airport) then through another area and to another block wall. This opens up into an area which reminded me of an outdoor train station. There is a truss covered area where there are hundreds of chairs/benches, 21 window "stations" which have bullet proof glass and look like those at a drive through bank teller for one person. There are telephones outside each window which are similar to those used in a prison where a prisoner talks to a visitor. There were no flags and no flashy buildings. You give your paperwork to a "teller" then sit and wait for your name to be called. At about 9:45AM we were called to a window. The "Teller" told me that one of the forms was filled out incorrectly (it was 5 pages). I had filled it out in my name and it should have been filled out one for Maria and one for Juan. Then she asked me for our new I171H form (this is the one that I ran around like a chicken with her head cut off to get finished before we left). I did not know that I would need that form and did not have it with me it was over in my book which my mom had. Then the lady asked me for proof of the update from the FBI!!! I didn't have any copies of anything from them as the information is not permitted to be returned to me it goes only to the adoption agency. I paniced! I had to leave the window to fill out the new forms and find proof of the FBI stuff. We were talking to the adoption agency - they pointed out that the new I171H (which I had a copy of with me) had a statement right on it at the bottom that the background check was valid until 2009!! It was a whole hour before our name got called again to provide the newly completed forms and copies of the I171H. It was only then that the lady said "Great...all your paperwork looks like it is in order...please have a seat and we will call you". WHEW!! Talk about an hour of stress! After that I paid for the visas as the windows were closing for lunch..and we waited more. Finally they called our name and I went through a brief "interview" where I answered a couple of questions, signed a statement that all is true to the best of my knowledge and then was handed an appointment card for tomorrow to pick up the visas! The kids were excellent! J.P. sat in his stroller with 2 hotwheels cars for 3 hours without complaining. Maria was great, too! My mom was fantastic with the kids (no surprise to me) so I could concentrate on what I needed to get done. Then it was home. It was about 6:00PM and we still needed to eat. We decided to take the kids out for dinner since they were sooooooooo good. We took them out to Jenos for pizza and the "indoor" park. (Family ask me about that experience...this is too long to write details). Afterwards it was back home, showers and off to bed. My mom, Christina and I watched a movie and then went right to bed! I was so tired after getting up so early that I crashed hard. Tomorrow we don't need to get up early so we planned to sleep in. The main attraction - PICKING UP THE VISAS.
Silvia and Jaime picked us up at 8:00AM to go to the Embassy. We piled into the van and off we went. It took about 45 minutes to get there due to the traffic. It was totally different than I expected. I expected to see something like you would see on TV where you go through these large iron gates into this huge open courtyard-like area where there are huge beautiful buildings on both sides and many American flags flying. NOT...The embassy is gated but, mostly with a large white block wall. On a back road there is one wall where a gold seal that says "United States Embassy". Jaime droped us off then we walked down this long sidewalk where there were several lines of people outside the walls. We walked right up to the front of the line as because of the adoption we have special privelages. Through security we go (similar to that at the airport) then through another area and to another block wall. This opens up into an area which reminded me of an outdoor train station. There is a truss covered area where there are hundreds of chairs/benches, 21 window "stations" which have bullet proof glass and look like those at a drive through bank teller for one person. There are telephones outside each window which are similar to those used in a prison where a prisoner talks to a visitor. There were no flags and no flashy buildings. You give your paperwork to a "teller" then sit and wait for your name to be called. At about 9:45AM we were called to a window. The "Teller" told me that one of the forms was filled out incorrectly (it was 5 pages). I had filled it out in my name and it should have been filled out one for Maria and one for Juan. Then she asked me for our new I171H form (this is the one that I ran around like a chicken with her head cut off to get finished before we left). I did not know that I would need that form and did not have it with me it was over in my book which my mom had. Then the lady asked me for proof of the update from the FBI!!! I didn't have any copies of anything from them as the information is not permitted to be returned to me it goes only to the adoption agency. I paniced! I had to leave the window to fill out the new forms and find proof of the FBI stuff. We were talking to the adoption agency - they pointed out that the new I171H (which I had a copy of with me) had a statement right on it at the bottom that the background check was valid until 2009!! It was a whole hour before our name got called again to provide the newly completed forms and copies of the I171H. It was only then that the lady said "Great...all your paperwork looks like it is in order...please have a seat and we will call you". WHEW!! Talk about an hour of stress! After that I paid for the visas as the windows were closing for lunch..and we waited more. Finally they called our name and I went through a brief "interview" where I answered a couple of questions, signed a statement that all is true to the best of my knowledge and then was handed an appointment card for tomorrow to pick up the visas! The kids were excellent! J.P. sat in his stroller with 2 hotwheels cars for 3 hours without complaining. Maria was great, too! My mom was fantastic with the kids (no surprise to me) so I could concentrate on what I needed to get done. Then it was home. It was about 6:00PM and we still needed to eat. We decided to take the kids out for dinner since they were sooooooooo good. We took them out to Jenos for pizza and the "indoor" park. (Family ask me about that experience...this is too long to write details). Afterwards it was back home, showers and off to bed. My mom, Christina and I watched a movie and then went right to bed! I was so tired after getting up so early that I crashed hard. Tomorrow we don't need to get up early so we planned to sleep in. The main attraction - PICKING UP THE VISAS.
