Author Topic: Waiting Can be Hard...  (Read 10056 times)

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Offline shaun

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Waiting Can be Hard...
« on: January 25, 2011, 10:24:31 pm »
Well, today marks the fifth month that Peggy and me have been waiting to hear from Homeland Security.  I received my NOA1 on August 25th, 2010.   Here it is January 25th, 2011 and according to VisaJourney the Vermont Service center has been on August 9th since Friday.    Vermont is at 167 days turn around, California is about 150 and Texas is about 80.  And to think I could have moved back to Texas.

Every day Peggy asks me the same question.  "Have you any news?"  I have to give her the same depressing answer, "No news."  I see the disappointment in her face and she sees it in mine.  She says "Awww..." to which I reply, "I know, I know but it will come."  But we are ever committed to getting through this and onto the next step.  Never have I longed to be with someone so much as I long to be with Peggy.  It has caused a few arguments between Peggy and me and has caused quite a few laughs.  The last time I called the Vermont Service Center they asked me to not call again until after January 25.  It angered Peggy.  She would ask me once a week to call them and of course I would.  I guess most of you will know what I will be doing tomorrow.  I'll be on the phone for hours.

One diversion is that Peggy spent the last two months in Shenzhen helping her sister in law with the new baby, a male of course because no one else gets this much attention.  I would laugh quite a bit.  The baby has colic and he has three women running around that tiny house in Shenzhen trying to meet his need and stop him from crying.  That poor kid has 3 moms but he is making them earn their money.  Me?  I yell at him on the internet and tell him to settle down and leave those women along.  You should see him look at me.  I have also been flirting with Peggy's mother.  I'll hey mamma what are you doing.  She comes running laughing to the computer.  She talks to me in Chinese and I talk in English.  She doesn't understand me but tells Peggy that she should listen to me and do what I tell her to do which gets a sharp answer back.  Hysterical.

As I write this Peggy is on a bus back to Shaoguan to spend the rest of the time with her daughter and granddaughter.  To say Peggy is restless is putting it mildly.  Fortunately for me I am in the middle of tax season and am knee deep in paperwork.  Yes I am killing a little time right now.  But i'm tired of looking at numbers, negative numbers.

We are at that stage where we can't plan for anything because we do not know when or what will happen next.  Crap it will drive a sane man crazy.  I even ventured onto the other site just to see what CS and other were fighting about now.  I haven't been there since May of last year.  SOS.

I have stayed silent since June because of a few issues but now feel like updating what is going on.

Peggy announced yesterday after our first visit in April that she wants ro bring her granddaughter over to America with her.  All this time she had been telling me she was too old to take care of the 2 year old girl.  She is a hand full.  My first response was to yell NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!  But something different came out of my mouth.  I told her that we were late into the application process and if we added her granddaughter now it would only delay the interview.  SO we agreed to just have Peggy come over for two years and then seek to bring the granddaughter after that.  Dodged that bullet for now.  Don't get me wrong, I love children.  The little girl is as cute as she can be and I love it when she calls me Yaya.  But I think Peggy's plate will be full coming over here by herself.  Her English is getting better all of the time but she still will need to focus on that when she gets here.

I could go on but I know most of you are already bored with this...  For those of you who have not begun to wait, prepare yourself.  This is the part I feared the most.  The wait!!!!!!!  And we may have 4 more months to go.

Vince G

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2011, 10:33:36 pm »
I for one was not bored reading an update. I rather read it then wait and wonder what's going on. It may not be exciting but it's real.

Offline Martin

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2011, 11:11:42 pm »
I agree with Vince.  That wasn't a boring update at all.  I was quite interested in reading that Yaya.

Offline maxx

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2011, 11:50:37 pm »
Hey Yaya like Vince and Martin said keep the updates comming.With the updates I and the other Americans on this forum can figure out how far away you are and.How much longer you have to wate.I bet you wished you had Hired a lawyer by now.When I was going threw this and feeling low.I would call my lawyer.Just to make sure they were having a bad day like me.It really gave me somebody to vent my frustration at.See lawyers are good for something :P it was worth it to me to pay the money to.So I could have somebody to blame for the delays.And to holler at.

Sorry to hear the baby has colic.A guy I know.His newborn grandson has colic.So they have called in the best baby doctors in CA.The doctors keep telling them.That they just have to live with it.The doctor keeps telling them.That one day the kid will wake up and it will be over with.That wasn't good enough for the new mother.And the new father.So they hired this midwife from the U.K.The first thing the midwife did.Was build a cradle board.And tie the kid up.In the cradle board.Like a little Indian baby.Five minutes after that.The kid stopped crying and went to sleep.And actually slept for a couple of hours.Giving everybody a chance to set down and rest.

You mite suggest this to Peggy.If she doesn't know what one is.Just send her a picture of one.Tell her also.That it is ok to put a blanket around the baby.While he is in the cradle board.And to make it a little tight.What you are trying to acomplish.With the cradle board.Is to simulate the womb.Have you ever heard.That man spends nine months of his life trying to crawl out of the womb.And the rest of his life trying to crawl back in.It is the same way with that baby.He is just mad.Because he was silly enough to crawl out of that womb.In the first place.

Maxx

Offline Willy The Londoner

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2011, 11:51:33 pm »
Shaun it is already 25th January here in China so call them and tell em  that I told you to ring.

Willy
« Last Edit: January 25, 2011, 11:54:56 pm by Willy The Londoner »
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Offline Rhonald

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2011, 01:04:02 am »
Hey Shaun can never have to many crowding the wait boat, helps somewhat reading about others agony because sometime misery like company. I wish the two of you fortitude until that time you get the good news when elation can then run riot.
Life....It's all about finding the Chicks and Balances

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2011, 01:17:22 am »
Waiting "CAN" be hard ??? What are you saying Shaun ... waiting "IS" hard !!! "CAN" you see how happy I "IS" and many other's with their Wife's ?
 So "CAN" your anger , by happy what's awaiting you and at the end all "IS" Heaven .. well almost !

Offline shaun

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2011, 05:28:15 am »
Thanks for the comments.

Maxx, when all of this started two months ago I did a little research on the internet.  First one evening Peggy had to cut our conversation a little short, by two hours  :o, to take the baby to the hospital.  The next day I asked her how he baby was and she said that he would be OK in a few months.  So I asked her if it was colic?  She said yes and then proceeded to tell me how smart I was.  At least I have one woman in China fooled.  Over the next two weeks Peggy took the baby to different doctors and they all said the same thing.  Peggy's problem was her mother who kept on saying that babies shouldn't cry like that all of the time and a new mother who was being scared by a over bearing mother in law and the genuine worry of being a new mother.

Peggy knew exactly what to do.  She wrapped the baby in tight clothing and tight blankets.  Then she would walk around the house dancing and singing to the baby.  This would keep him pretty quite.  But grandmother didn't like the baby wrapped up so tight and would complain but Peggy was right on the mark and I would tell her she was.  I also told her it appeared that she was living in a hen house to which she laughed hysterically and said yes.

On occasion the baby's mother would sing to him.  I asked what song she was singing because the melody was familiar.   She said it is a Chinese children's song.  Then she began the English version  of it.  It was ABCDEFG...   Then I asked them to send me the Chinese translation of it because it didn't sound like the Chinese Alphabet to me, like I would recognize it if I heard it.  I translated it and it was Twinkle Twinkle little star...    I said yes it is an old American song written by Jane Taylor great aunt to James Taylor.  ;D  I wrote that just for Willy.

Maxx I will mention the cradle board to her.  I remember hearing about that somewhere before but had forgotten about it.

The Yaya stuff?  I'm at that age where I kind of enjoy it.  Wish my kids would settle down and have a couple.  My kids have already told me that my name is stuck as Yaya.  It was going to be Opa and anything would be better than that. Sorry Arnold.  My father was Opa and every time I hear the word it brings up difficult emotions.  The name is not bad but I took care of my father the last four years of his life and he was kind of special to me.

Last thing.  I am sending a box of Similac, 18 cans in all, over to the baby in China.  I took it to the post office and it is going to be $118.00 to send.   I said no.  I checked DHL and they were $300.00.  The box weighs 27lbs right now.  Anyone have a good idea on how to ship it cheaper?  It might weigh a little more.  Yaya wants to send a couple of things to his new granddaughter.

I'll post a picture later of Yaya and granddaughter.

Offline Bee964

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2011, 08:30:28 am »
Last thing.  I am sending a box of Similac, 18 cans in all, over to the baby in China.  I took it to the post office and it is going to be $118.00 to send.   I said no.  I checked DHL and they were $300.00.  The box weighs 27lbs right now.  Anyone have a good idea on how to ship it cheaper?  It might weigh a little more.

Shaun,

Unless you have a super man type of throwing arm (and you will need accuracy) I think the cheapest you will find for sending the package will be the USPS. They should have a couple different ways to send the package too. The only difference should be the length of time it will take to get there.

Dave C
Life is like a jar of Jalapenos-- What you eat today will burn your ass tomorrow!.

Offline Kiwi303

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2011, 07:55:45 pm »
Look at the USPS Flat Rate Postal Boxes...

If your cans fit inside, then they'll ship it for the rate of the box. Speaking as someone who has to get stuff shipped from the US when it's not available in NZ (US obsolete/classic car parts, etc) several flat rate boxes stuffed with bits can be a heck of a lot cheaper than one big freight rate parcel for all the bits together. Or even a part filled box with foam nuts or wadding can be cheaper than a SMALLER standard postage parcel. .

Offline shaun

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2011, 09:56:03 pm »
Thanks Kiwi and Robert.  I tried those rates already.  That was where I got the $118.00.  It seems the post office has dropped it's lower rates.  They used to have a 1-3 day, 5-7 day, 6-10 day and up to 30 days.  Now all they that are 2 rates 1-3 day and we will tell you when you come in and we see what we are looking at.  I was hoping for the 30 day because the family has about a 90 day supply left but it isn't offered anymore.

Peggy made it to Shaoguan safely and her computer will be hooked up when ever her son in law gets to it.  While she was in Shenzhen I introduced the phrase sister in law to her.  Today she pops out with son in law on the cell.  I was amazed that she did it on her own.  She is at that stage where she is getting the concepts easier but she still struggles with he/she.

I didn't get around to calling Homeland Security today.  I was overloaded at work but tomorrow is a different story.   Robert thanks for telling me about Haiti but now I am angry about it so maybe it was better I didn't have time to call today.  I wonder if I can request that the application be moved to Texas but I am sure it would have to move to the end of the line.  They seem to have the shortest turn around time.  It seems, and yes I know what I am saying, the government would see that Vermont is slammed and it taking more that 100 days longer than Texas and they would move some of the Haitian application over there but then again it makes too much sense.  Homeland Security didn't waste time cashing my check though.

Here are a few picture I promised of Yaya's little girl.  In one picture she is wearing red shoes.  Those were the first English words she learned when I was there.  I bought the shoes for her and she is still talking about them.  The last picture was her first of many trips to McDonald's while I was there.


Offline shaun

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2011, 11:06:14 am »
Robert Thanks.  I did call the 800 number today.  They have pushed back my application another 32 days.  To say I am pissed is putting it mildly.  The did admit it is because of Haiti.  It seems that abused women can file and their applications only go to Vermont.  There are a ton of applications and they do go to the front of the line.  Better yet is that most of them are done for free.

I mean I understand the need to get these woman out if they are being abused but dang, why didn't they send my app to Texas or California instead?  They did tell me that they could send it there but it would more than likely go to the end of the line.

I was nice to the woman I was talking to but I am sure not happy about this.  They also told me they are on July 24.  I imagine at the end of the 32 days that I will have to wait even more.

@#(&)Q@ @)(&^n   #)_@(&^ n @_)(@*%^& )   $()^*@^&@^  and I mean it too.

By the way Robert where can you see what applications have been processed?
« Last Edit: January 27, 2011, 11:08:42 am by shaun »

Offline David E

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2011, 04:35:19 pm »
Shaun, I am really sorry to hear about your latest delay....another 32 days and maybe more.

You are not alone .......we have the same issues here. These Illegal Boat People Immigrants get the same priority and go to the front of the line.
Most of them are not refugees, but just freeloaders seeking to get their nose in our trough. The whole traffic is sponsored and encouraged by people smugglers, mostly from Indonesia. We cant do anything about it !!!!

Imagine how you would go in Business if you said to your clients.."sorry, I have got your order, which you have paid for, but I have just got a lot of orders from some overseas clients who I will supply for free. By the way, your order goes to the back of the line and I MAY be in a position to supply you in a couple of months, maybe"

World wide, we as citizens have allowed this state of affairs to develop. Now we are totally in the hands of these people, in so many ways, not only the reunion with our beloved but in every walk of life we are now just bloody sheep. How did it all happen, that we are so controlled by "Public Servants"...servants my eye !!!!!

Unfortunately, I dont think there is a way out now, Roman style revolutions are out of fashion !!! and I dont know where we could get our hands on a guillotine and copy the French !!

So we all just gotta grin and bear it Shaun...but I aint happy also, along with many others.

Keep smilin'....one day it will all be just a memory

David

Offline Willy The Londoner

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2011, 10:13:24 pm »
What is Similac?

Willy
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Offline shaun

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Re: Waiting Can be Hard...
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2011, 05:26:51 am »
Willy Chinese families desire American baby formula or baby milk.  It could be the same with other western countries but Peggy's family has come out of the woodworks to thank me for sending it.  When momma I know how important it was.  So guys, forget the chocolate, alcohol, jerky, westernized gifts and such what they want is baby formula.  ;D

Just keep in mind it costs an arm and a leg to ship it there.