New York Consulate

Yeah, I know I brag about my husband a lot on this blog. But, I simply MUST once more.

I've done most of the paperchasing thus far. It's a labor of love really.

And, honestly, if S said he would do it all, I wouldn't let him. Because, well...

I'm sort of a control freak.

BUT, we had to make (what we thought) were two trips to NYC in a matter of three days. I knew I must share this responsibility. It was simply too much for one person.

I over-instructed my husband with maps, questions, extra copies of everything. It's a wonder he didn't kill me. He left at 6 am on Friday morning to begin the trek to the NY Chinese Consulate. 8:15 express train to Grand Central, 9 long blocks of walking and he made it at about 10 am. That's four hours of commuting.

The great news was that they said they would process the document the SAME DAY. We were going to have our FINAL document fully authenticated in our (his) hands at 2pm!!!

When he got it, I told him to guard it with his life. And he did. Can you EVEN IMAGINE if something happened to that document on his way home. Oh my.

3:00 express train home. And then an almost 3 hour car ride. Friday evening drive on I-95. Ouch. He arrived home at 7 pm.

It was a 13 hour day.

But, at the end of it, he had in his hand a white envelope with our I-797 fully authenticated. Here it is... it's just a sticker believe it or not that is stuck on the back of one of the pages of the document.

Some may wonder "what's the big deal?" But to get here... oh.... you have no idea.

I'm so happy that he got to do this. I just love that I have in my memory the thought of my dear husband on this most important mission through the streets of NYC... all for his daughter half a world away.

He didn't complain of course. He never complains.

And the truth is... he wouldn't have had it any other way.