Wow, it has been quite a journey getting here. Many, many tears and prayers have gone into this.
If you wonder what in the world we have been working on so hard for the last few months, maybe this will give you a glimpse.
I didn't count all of them, but I do know there is well over 100 pages and 33 documents. Some have been quite easy, and others have been extremely difficult. Many times (like last week) I wanted to give up so bad, because it is taking every ounce of patience and endurance I have had to get all of these papers together.
So, today I received my last apostilled papers for this dossier. You would think that the sending part would be the easy part, but it didn't go that way.
I took everything to FedEx. I had both kids with me, I put Justus in the stroller, so he wouldn't run off. I am trying to push the stroller with one hand, while holding onto my folder with our dossier in it and my planner that has the address in the other hand and trying to open the door with my third hand. :) Then I drop everything, and the folder falls on the ground and all of the papers fall out (now that I am thinking about it, I think it happened in slow motion). Luckily, it was still in an order that I could pull it together. Whew!
After, I finally manage to get the door open, I see 2 employees just watching me. Like they couldn't help.
Then, I went to mail them. First she said she doesn't know the city I am mailing to. I told her I mailed with them before to the same address. Then she says "I'm not sure where this will end up". Yeah, talk about being uneasy. Anyway, when she finally finds the city, she says it won't get there until the 15th. I said no that won't do. So, she laughs at me. Made me mad, so I took my papers and took them to UPS.
They were wonderful, so friendly. And they are going to be there on the 11th. Thank you Jesus!
This is the so, so helpful and wonderful lady at the UPS store. She didn't even think I was crazy when I wanted to take a picture. The picture is bad. Right before I took it, she was smiling. Oh well.
I didn't think I would cry, but I did. I guess it was just that I have put so much into this. After we mailed this, we went to Walmart to pick up Malika's new glasses. On the way, I was thinking about it, and the thought occurred to me, we are trading paper for a real live baby girl. Yes, in reality it is more than paper, but the truth is, it is just paper. Our dossier is paper, and money is paper.
I know we aren't done, but I would do it all over and over again just to give life to our sweet little girl.
Here is a picture of Malika with her new glasses. Isn't she beautiful.
Please continue to pray with us, our journey is only half over.
- Pray that our dossier will be translated quickly and submitted next week.
- Pray that they will send us our travel dates soon.
- Pray that all will go smoothly.
- Pray that Priscilla will stay healthy and bond easily and quickly.
Hip hip hooray!!!! Malika is SO sweet :) Glad you went with UPS, they have been great to us.
ReplyDeleteSo happy for you! All that work is paying off! Hope the rest of the process will go quickly for you and Priscilla can come home SOON!
ReplyDeleteOMG!!!!!!! SO awesome! I was wondering where you were Monday night, but clearly you were busy completing your dossier!! That's great! Congratulations! And doesn't it feel like such a relief when it is gone? I mean, now you have NO paperwork to do anymore.
ReplyDeleteYou need to get moved to the ALMOST THERE page on RR -- Michelle can move you! Let me know if you need her email address. We are definitely going to be there at the same time -- I can feel it!
Congrats!
Corbett :)
I know that feeling so well! I remember wondering what I was going to do with myself now that the paper chase was done.
ReplyDeleteWhen you said you dropped the folder, I gasped! I clung to that "paper Alice" for dear life. When you finish at the SDA, they give it back to you. You have to hang on to it until you meet your child in the orphanage. It felt good to have it in my care again.
Then I met her and there was nothing to compare it to!!
We didn't have to wait very long before our travel date. I was surprised and overwhelmed at the travel prep.
I'm praying you don't have to wait long either.
Enjoy the break. It's crazy from here on out!
Emily
www.foralicefaith.blogspot.com
I am a new follower to your blog. You have a new prayer warrior in me:), I can't wait for you to bring your little girl home! I also love how you've broken down the process on your sidebar. Glad to 'meet' you:)
ReplyDeleteWe're right behind you! One last document that we'll get on Wednesday, and then our dossier will be off, too! Congrats! It feels good, huh?
ReplyDeleteYou don't know me - but I'm adopting from Ethiopia. I have my referral and am waiting for a court date to travel. Somebody told me (in the midst of my paperwork dramas) that adoption is not for wimps. How true it is.
ReplyDeletego ups!! i'm so sorry all that happened at fedex and dropping the papers-i could see it in my mind :( but it is off and because i am reading this late it has arrived!!! no mystery city. yay!!
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