Jan 3rd 2013 (otherwise known as...the day I was scheduled to arrive in Monrovia)

A test,

Of character?

Of Faith?

Of Resilience?

Of Perseverance?



This scheduling and arranging all the details for an international trip has been haggard.

When I began the process, I continually asked others (name the adoption agency) what else do I need to prepare for??

The surprise VISA showed up around Dec 15th. It took (surprisingly?) 4 days to track down a clinic that could give us the shot for our required vaccinations.

Then I had to mail my PASSPRT, my vaccine records, and LOTS OF MOOLAH to the “Visa processing” company, apparently (according to their voice recording that I have logged over 7 ours of listening to…)



They can get a visa in as little as 24 hours, and they are the experts on lost passports, fast turn-around, and all things international. Getting the visa approved took 24 hours, then the “expedited service” I paid out the nose for dragged on…and on…and on…



First the company could not use the enclosed return address label, (for reasons unknown to me) So they were supposed to TRANSFER the information onto a New Label and Overnight express mail it to me.

When the shipping information FINALLY registered on the FedEx tracking site, I noticed a HUGE GLARING ERROR!!

I was in Salem, Utah, and my passport & Very expensive Visa was now sitting on my porch in Kidder, MO.

GRAND!!

I had to do some serious arm-twisting for them to realize that YES they HAD been notified of the shipping label, and that NO I was not going to fix this crisis. THEY WERE!

But that was not enough, I had to call 4 of my friends in Missouri, until I found one willing to drive to my home, pick up the package and re-label it and drop it in the FedEx drop box in Cameron.

Where is sat, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday….Wed night I was scheduled to fly to JFK where I would prepare to fly to Liberia Thursday Evening. Plenty of time to ship the passport to NYC so that I could still board the plane on time.

Except FedEx forgot to re-route that package and it was on the delivery truck in Orem, Utah!



Now…..mind you….each and every time I had to call the Visa processing Company (TraVisa…don’t EVER EVER EVER trust them with an expedited package!!) I would be put on hold for a minimum of 15 minutes…yes I started timing them.

And many times as my 15 minutes came to an end, the line would go dead….

So I called them at least 35 times trying to resolve the issue, and guess what!? I got a NEW PHONE AGENT every SINGLE time!!! (they must be a BIG company!)

So not only was I not getting answers…..but I was draining my battery waiting to have the issue addressed!



I am emotionally spent. I am so TIRED of being diplomatic. I am trying not to SCREAM….but right now, honestly ALL I WANT TO DO IS SLEEP!!!

Red-eye flight, then being on my feet walking all over the airport looking for different things I wore a blister in my toe, and I need to catch some

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ’s! P.S.



My biceps got a GREAT workout carrying Peter to the 9/11 Memorial... 16 blocks ;)