Thanks guys.

I finally got in touch with somebody in the FOID office.
It seems they are VERY understaffed, and get calls constantly, all day.
That's why the FOID phone line is always busy.
I got through when I called the ISP Deputy Director's office, and asked to for some help. I got transferred over to the FOID Dept right away, and everyone was very helpful, courteous, and professional.

It turns out the delay was partially my own fault. When I moved, I failed to give them my new address, thinking that my mail forwarding request at the US Post Office would get it to me, and then I would do an address change with the ISP later, rather than send in a new app and confuse things during the renewal.

It turns out that a FOID card is one of those things that cannot be forwarded in the mail. So my card, approved and sealed with a kiss, had sat on someone's desk for months without anyone calling me or writing to me about it. Lesson learned, but I wasa bit disappointed that no one could take the time to let me know what was going on.

Anyway, just wanted to follow up and let everybody know what really happened, and that my problem wasn't caused entirely by somebody in Springfield sitting on their butt. It was caused by the cuts made by our former Governor BLAGO. Should have guessed.

Sure pays to renew way ahead. You never know how long it will take.