FRUSTRATION

Sums up the last few days pretty well. After we received our TA on Monday, our Social Worker received an email that there was a problem with my name matching on some documents. If you know me, you know that I go by my given middle name, and for some reason, that is what is on my passport, social security card, and driver's license. It is not, however, my legal name, and it is not on all of our immigration documents or our Chinese documents. I have never been to court to "legally" drop my first name. Long story short, this has been a HUGE issue for us, and has kept us from being able to confirm our consulate appointment. We have been going back and forth with our social worker and she has been working hard on our behalf both with offices here and in China to come up with the quickest solution. (The solution that the US government recommended would take 2-3 more months, minimally, to fix!) This has been very very frustrating. I have cried and cried. I can't lie. It's really been hard. To be so very close- the very last step in a 5 million step process, and then to have something like this happen is really tough. Today, however, we are working toward a solution. I was able to apply for a new passport with my entire legal name on it (the way they should have done it the first time), and if it all goes through, I should have it in my hands on Tuesday. The next problem is that issuing the new passport invalidated my old one....which already had my Chinese visa in it for this trip. So, not really sure what I will have to do about that or how long it might take. Just taking it one step at a time over here...and praying that I actually have the new passport on Tuesday...
I know lots of people have been praying that our paperwork snag will be cleared up quickly, and I so appreciate it. I know in my head that God's perfect timing is in all of this, but it is hard for my heart to grasp it right now. I have no idea when we will travel. But clearly it will be in His time, not mine.

Blessings-

Meredith