UPDATE...AGENCY DRAMA

Well, it continues. Just when we thought we had moved on and were dealing with it, we received yet ANOTHER happy little letter from the agency on Monday of this week saying exactly the same thing. I guess we are supposed to feel better about this one as it states "FROM THE DESK OF UNCLE ZHOU" at the top and we don't have to sign and return it. This after we signed and returned the FIRST one saying that we understood and would abide by their rules that change with the breeze it seems. The latest letter contained yet another bit of hilariously frustrating drivel. In my own words...if a parent chooses to travel singly then he/she should bring along someone to help.

Ok...let me get this straight. The sizes of the tour groups are too large and to keep the size down you don't want us to bring our children. I'm with you so far. However, if we want to bring our child then we can, we just have to bring yet another person to take care of that child. SO, in order to preserve the small size of the tour group I will stay home with our daughter and Garry will travel alone. But wait...he needs someone to travel with him to help him. AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!! Apparently LOGIC is a foreign concept to the folks out there at THE AGENCY.

I ran into an acquaintance at the grocery store the other day who has also adopted a daughter from China. She told me that they are in the process again and I shared that we were as well. She asked which agency we were going through. I told her. Her face...her voice...her entire demeanor changed immediately to that of sincere sympathy and she said, "Oh...I'm so sorry." Strangely the whole incident made me feel much better! LOL

I know many people are thrilled with this agency and those who work there. I know *we* are thrilled with our precious Hope and said agency certainly played a part in bringing her to us. I pray incessantly that Claire will come to us sooner rather than later as well. However, I cannot in good conscience recommend this agency to anyone else out there. I like organization, kindness, respect, and common courtesy. I thank Chris and Emily for all of their help but they are the exceptions and not the rule. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the director has yet to contact us in response to our letter.