Can't Buy No Happiness

Two copies of her birth certificate...$15
Fee to Authenticate birth certificates at the Secretary of State's office...$2
Passport fee...$105
Rush Passport...$60
Gas for 4 trips to Chicago...$120

Chinese Notary Fee...$50
Parking downtown...$100
Her tourist visa for China...$170

The joy of getting to bring Willow to China and to be reunited with Adam again....PRICELESS.

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Willow's passport was denied again...Brad is going to help me try once more tomorrow. Hopefully we will walk away with Willow's passport and be able to apply for her visa. The problem with Adam's second consent form was that the Chinese notary did not stamp the actual consent form. Instead they sent several pages and translations stating that Adam gave permission. The Chinese notary swore that the United States would accept this type of notarization, saying that there was a special agreement between the two countries. Apparently, this is not the case! The Chinese notary was unable to stamp the actual consent form because it is illegal for some reason in China. The US Passport agency refused to accept the Chinese notary that Adam faxed to me even though they said that they would over the phone last Thursday. They said that there was no way of knowing that the notary was with Adam when Adam signed the consent and that they needed the original forms (because somehow the original documents DO prove this--even though they are exactly the same). Over-nighting these forms will be pricy, so Adam is keeping his appointment at the Consulate. So frustrating! It's like a vicious circle when two countries can't see eye to eye on official matters. What a waste of money to get the ineffective Chinese notary...a waste of time too (Adam's and my own). So now, Adam is at his appointment at the US consulate getting a third consent form notarized. I'm not sure how much this one will cost--wouldn't it be nice if it was free?

Please join me in lifting up tomorrow's efforts. Third time is the charm...right?

~julie