Consulate Appointment day

What a day!

We headed to the U.S. Consulate bright and early this morning, about 7:30 am.  We got there about 8 am and headed upstairs to the "adoptions room" which is pretty small and there were about 10 families with at least one child each.  We took a number and when ours was called, they reviewed all our paperwork.  Then we were called to a window where we took an oath that everything we put in our paperwork was true.  Then we went to another window to answer a few questions and take a fingerprint scan.  This is where it all went wrong....

There were about two families ahead of us in line and the first family went to the window for their fingerprint scan.  It seemed like they were up there forever and then the man behind the window told us the internet was down and we had to wait until it came back up.  We had been there about an hour at this point.  I heard someone explain it this way - Imagine you're at the DMV with your toddler and the room is full of about 10 to 15 other families all with toddlers as well.  Then they tell you you have to stay in that room and wait there for four hours.  Sound like torture?  Yes, it was.  Charlie was not happy about this waiting and screamed and cried for a good portion of this time.  We had no cell phones and only a few snacks with us. On top of that, we had the stress of thinking that if the system doesn't start working very soon, we'll likely miss our flight back home.  No bueno.

Finally the system began working again in and out and we were able to get our fingerprints scanned before the system shut down again.  All the other families in our group had to go back this afternoon to try it again and, thankfully, it was working.  The man at the consulate said this should not delay us getting our Visas tomorrow so we are praying hard that is the case.  Assuming all goes well, we should get Charlie's visa at 4:30pm tomorrow and then we catch our van to Hong Kong at 5pm.  We'll stay the night in Hong Kong and then our flight leaves on 10/30 about 1:30pm Hong Kong time straight to Dallas!  I get excited just typing it!!  Can't wait to show off our little man and give my girl and big kiss!

Specific prayer request:  Please pray all our Visas home come right on time with no delays and that our van ride (about 4 hours) goes smoothly and safely to Hong Kong!

We couldn't take any pictures at the consulate, but here's our cutie all decked out in his red Americana attire!