Stacy VS. the NVC...I win!

Here's the scoop.  On Sunday, 8/8/10 I emailed the NVC to get an update on our status, hoping that I'd be the first email in their inbox Monday morning.  Nothing!  No response!  On Tuesday I called and spoke to someone who told me I was in the system, but that I should be cabled "soon."  Of course "soon" could not be defined.  I was tempted to call later that evening since the call center is open to midnight.  Actually I was close to begging and pleading with Jason to call.  Neither of us called.

On Wednesday (TODAY!!!), I called and found out that we were cabled yesterday.  See!  I should have gone with my gut!  Well, I'm glad I went with my gut today.  I asked the wonderful gentleman I was speaking to, to please email me the NVC letter that is usually sent by mail.  I knew that having the letter a couple days earlier was a good thing as many families have stressed the importance of having it emailed...and in some cases fighting with NVC to get that done.  Of course I was put on hold so my buddy could check with a supervisor.  The answer was "no."  When I said that "the adoption community is very close and I am aware of several families receiving this letter emailed" my not-so-pleasant friend responded sarcastically "oh, they work for the NVC, do they?"  WHATEVER!  I politely asked to speak to the supervisor myself.  I suggested to the supervisor that he email this letter to me since it had been done for other families.  He told me they could only email it in emergencies.  "Okay, what's an emergency?" I wondered... and asked.  Apparently emergencies were only if you were in China and needed it the next day.  This supervisor wouldn't budge so I asked for the next in line.  I was told I had to email the same address I hadn't received a response from with the attention to Sue in the subject line.  I expressed my concern to this lovely (there's my sarcasm) supervisor that I lacked confidence in email responses since I was still waiting on one from Sunday.  He assured me I'd get her attention. 

Four hours later...nothing!  Well, I just decided that I may need to call and dig my heels in a little.  I'm not ugly.  I'm not rude.  However, my daughter is half way around the world, AND I WANT HER HERE!  So...I kindly called the next Representative who assured me that I was given correct info and that I would not be able to receive email confirmation.  Supervisor please!  I got on the phone with supervisor #2 who also could not help.  Here's the interesting thing, every time I call they confirm my email address.  I asked sup #2 why they confirm this.  "So we can make sure when we send emails they get to you."  "Oh, so you DO send emails?"  "Yes."  "What kind of emails do you send?  You CAN send me mine?"  "No, only certain emails."  Ahhhh, it was shenanigans.  I tried to appeal to his emotions by saying "I don't know if you are a parent but this is my first child, and she is half way around the world, and getting to her even a week sooner would make my world."  Nothing!  Finally after I'd mentioned several times that I KNEW this had been done for other families NOT in China and heard "oh, well I can't confirm what other families have had" I explained that getting the letter was no longer the issue.  The issue was that they needed to be consistent with their procedures.  Whether or not he could confirm what happened for others, I could.  I told him I needed to speak to someone who I could share my concerns about consistency with and that I would be happy to provide names of families who received the email confirmation.  I suggested that "even though YOU seem to be consistent, there is obviously a breakdown with other supervisors, and as a manager I'm SURE someone would want to know."  He said "hold please."  When he came back he said "you'll have the email later tonight or tomorrow morning."  I won!!!  I was still wary on whether or not it would actually come through but I figured he'd know I'd be calling back if not.

An hour later it came through!

I forwarded it to Yu Ping at WACAP.

She responded and said that letters can only be delivered the consulate on Thursday's and Monday's.  She emailed the guide who will be dropping it off but since it was so close to 9:00AM China time she was concerned the guide had already left the house and would receive the email.  She then said, she got it!  She's dropping it off today.  So as I type our letter is getting dropped off.  AND IT GETS BETTER!  She was able to tell me that our Article 5 will picked up on 8/26 and sent off the CCAA.  We will only be waiting on Travel Approval from there, which is a two week average right now.  I may have to bump up my guesstimate!!! 

Oh boy!  That was a lot of typing!!  I'll keep you posted later.