One month later

Well it has been quite a month. Just when I think the ride is coming to an end there is always another hill to climb.
Let me start at the beginning. We had our day in court on 9/9. We were told that we had to wait until between the 22-29th of Sept, which gave the birth mom one last chance to change her mind. So on Sept 23 we got our official email from our agency that said TRAVEL DATE! We were giving our AIT appointment for October 28, which meant we needed to be in Taiwan on October 25 to get Cooper on October 26. But we asked our agency to move the date back one week. I can't remember why at this moment that we moved it back this extra week but I am sure there was a reason.
First, I had won a free cruise for October 12- 16, then it is Jay's 40th b-day on the 23rd, plus we have Halloween and so much goes on in this area for the kids.. so maybe it was just that I was thinking about the family on this end and knew that we needed that extra week. Plus it gave me an extra week of work for travel money, which was a big set back for us.
I called A Child's Waits Foundation as they had told me that they would get back to me in September as to helping with our final adoption expense. I knew we didn't have that last hunk of money to go if I didn't get help from someone. And Thank you Lord, they came through for us!!! I am so thankful to them for this!! They were so great about everything when I explained to them that I had been out of work because of going to school this past year.. and that I don't plan on being financially strapped EVER AGAIN!!
So now we thought we were set to book our flights. I found great prices for the tickets, Mia and her family have found us a GREAT hotel.. but because of all the "NEW RULES" Cooper had to have his last physical.. his final physical for his adoption and the doctor stated some things that were not spelt out in full details in our home study on his report.. so guess where we are today.......
The USCIS office in Orlando has been so crappy at helping me. The person that finally did send an email back to me did not answer a single question that I sent her. We have proof that our updated addendum to our home study got to their office via Fed Ex and was signed for at 10:23 AM on October 2.. yet they could not find the package until the 5th.. and as of this minute... I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY HAVE EVEN OPENED THE ENVELOPE! They don't answer their phone and they don't respond to the emails I have sent.. so at 3 PM today.. if I don't hear back from them.. I am contacting my local rep.
Also for the last two weeks we have been fighing sickness. Jay got sick. Yep!! Sick. Then Ali got sick, then Chase, then Mallory, then me... it has been a rough two weeks. Now Jay is sick again and Mallory is still home in bed. We got checked for the swine flu but they told us it was a virus.. and sent us home with NO MEDICATION!!! My throat felt like it was on fire and someone was using sandpaper to coat the sides!! I was in tears. I have only been at work three days in the last three weeks. I went back last Monday and worked one day, had my scheduled day off and then on Wednesday work with a slight fever. But I could not call in again. So I went to work and went to my boss. She said I should have stayed home.. but I felt like I wanted them to see I was sick.. I just could not ask for more days off. But by 7 PM that night my fever was over 102 and they sent me home. Today is the first I have felt better.
So now back to the cruise.. that was to leave today. I really worked hard for this cruise and was so looking forward to a few days with my husband alone.. but I guess that was not in our stars. Jay got sick again this weekend and ended up in the hospital. He got home yesterday and is feeling better but this virus is just kicking butt and we want to make sure we are both healthy in two weeks.. so we felt is was best to not go on the cruise.
I called my boss for the exchange students and asked if I could send my mom and sister in our place. I worked hard to win this trip and was really hoping he said yes... which he did. So mom and Deb got their bags packed and got in the car to head to Orlando.. to be told by Royal Caribbean that they could not change the passenger list 28 hours prior to the ship leaving. BULL CRAP!! So someone that wanted to book a cruise yesterday would not be allowed to go.. I think that was horse Manure! So I had to call my sis and mom and tell them to turn around. My mom had never been on a cruise.
So to end my post.. nothing has gone as planned. We still do not have an answer from USCIS as to their update of our 171-H for immigrations, we have the money in the bank for the air tickets- THANK YOU AGAIN TO A CHILD'S WAITS Foundation!! I have my clothes sitting in a pile on Cooper's bed waiting to go into the suitcase but we are still up in the air as to when we are leaving!!!