Let the confusion ensue...

I just finished my morning ritual of calling the nice 24 hour man at the NVC- I had to call twice because I hung up and realized I had no clue what was going on. And that's where the fun stopped. Even though he's a nice man, with a nice voice and he's short and wear glasses, cuffed and pleated khaki pants and Hush Puppies; he told me something that I'm a little confused about. He said that the Immigrant fee bill letter had been prepared and would be sent to the agent in the next few weeks. First off, I didn't think they were going to be able to squeeze more money out of this. Second, George is his own agent, so God only knows when that letter will get to him! Which means this process could be drawn out longer, as usual. Hopefully I'll get a copy too and can do something about it quickly. Money has to be sent to St. Louis, surely they realize that can't happen from Ghana. Seriously people, they act like they've never dealt with people from other countries.

So I think I finally have this whole Immigrant Visa game figured out. Obviously they start with making sure we're dealing with the person you want to be with the most. Then, they make you wait and wait and wait so that you are so tense and anxious about everything that simply the thought of a letter or call from CIS is enough to throw you in the nut house. Yes, that's exactly where they want you. Then, when you've grown accustomed to waiting so long you're five minutes from booking a one way ticket out of here....they give you hope. So now that you're high on optimism they bombard you with more paperwork and more fees so that you feel like you're running a marathon of amazingness and that you're actually getting somewhere. Yep, still exactly where they want you. Then things subside a bit and you get to actually think about everything that just happened. You realize that the light of this horribly long and painful tunnel is growing nearer! You know exactly what's going on now and exactly what will happen next, you can dare to think about your future, and yes, it's a happy thought. Then, BOOM! That wasn't the light at the end of the tunnel, that was an NVC lightning bug.....it's dead now. You are not finished, you do not know what's going on, you should not think about good things and you are most definitely NOT in charge. Please wait for a letter, if you don't get it in about 6 weeks or so....good luck. That's how the game goes, that's how they like it. But I think I have decided I'm not going to play. Yes, I'm not going to play this game. I don't like that they can toy with my life and emotions this way. No sir, Mr. nice 24 hour NVC man, you do not win. My hope is not in you or your Hush Puppy clad self, nor any of your less cheery minions. Things aren't as bad or confusing as they look right now, my hope is in someone else (and no, Barack Obama doesn't own the word hope and I am not talking about him).

Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. Psalm 20:7-8