Our goal was to have all of our documents ready and waiting before our Immigration approval came in. We knew it would take 6-8 weeks to get our approval and we didn't want to wait one day longer than necessary. So, the plan was to have everything done last Friday and Saturday. We met our goal. Medical clearances, employment verification, proof of home ownership, etc. etc. etc., it was all lined up to be completed Friday and Saturday. I was so happy. I knew the soonest the approval could possibly come was this upcoming Wednesday. There was no way they would process it in less than 4 weeks.
Then I opened the mail Friday evening.
And there it was.
We had been approved after just 23 days.
We joyfully forwarded all of our other documents to our facilitator in Ukraine for approval and anxiously awaited her response. We knew that if we were able to apostille and send our documents this week there would be a chance to travel before some work constraints Brad will have the end of April. Getting our documents in the mail this week rather than next week could be the difference of 3-4 weeks for our travel dates.
I woke this morning to find an email from our facilitator saying we were missing one document: a copy of our social worker's license. I asked Brad if he thought we should pay to have it sent overnight to us in an effort to still apostille and send the dossier this week? He said it would cost less to drive to the office in Pleasant Hill and pick it up and we could save the wait.
It is difficult to explain but sometimes Brad and I feel a great urgency to just push certain parts of our adoptions through.
I felt prompted to try calling our social worker who lives in Elk Grove. She and I brainstormed and worked through several ideas. Wouldn't you know it, she found just the document we needed and just happened to have a window of time that would work perfectly for me to drive and meet her this morning to have it notarized. I sent a copy of the document to our facilitator for approval, made a couple quick arrangements for the boys to be picked up from school, and jumped in my car.
As I was driving our facilitator in Ukraine sent me a message: the license I was driving to pick up was perfect, except that our social worker's full name was on the document and our home study did not list her middle name. I met our social worker and asked her about it. She suggested I call the home study agency in Pleasant Hill and ask if they could authorize a quick edit. So I did, and wouldn't you know it, just the person who could authorize this change and get me the document I needed happened to be available right then and there.
So, since I was right near Brad's office I stopped in to receive the new document and organize everything for the Secretary of State's office. While there I quickly scanned everything into an email for our facilitator in Ukraine to approve (I love modern day technology). She said yes so I was happily off to the State office.
I pulled up to the parking garage I have parked in before for this building to find that it is no longer open to public parking. I slowed down and thought, "now what?" Just then I noticed a spot open right in front of the building with a green meter. I parked and took a look. It was paid for more than enough time. Free parking!
I walked up to the notary desk and presented my documents for apostille. Immediately the woman reviewing the documents said, "Oh, you'll need to change this." My mind started running but somehow I didn't panic. I asked if she meant the notary needed to be redone. "Oh no, honey, just take this pen and draw a box around these words. It just needs to be in a box." What? You want me to hand draw a box on my notarized documents? Um. Okay.
My fancy blue pen she gave me to make boxes with. At least I had my envelope to use as a straight edge... I took a picture because I thought this was ridiculous. I didn't know it was just the beginning.
I went back up to the desk. This time she accepted half of my documents (the ones with my fancy ink boxes) and said I needed to add a statement to the other half. She again said, "You can write it in pen if you want but I can't guarantee the country you are sending it to will accept it."
I was not about to apostille HALF of my documents without fighting to get everything done. So I paid her for the first half and left them there to be worked on while I drove the others to the nearest UPS store. Sure enough, UPS had a stamp. They took 30 seconds to stamp my docs and I went back to the Secretary of state.
I pulled up to yet another open parking spot with a green meter. This one had less time on it but enough for me to get in and out. Free parking again.
I went back to the desk and spoke with the same woman who disapprovingly sighed and said, "They put the stamp in the wrong place. It needs to be here," she points to a spot no more than 1 inch from the placement of the previous stamp, "do you want to try again or redo the documents?" I asked if it was a problem to have the same exact stamp on the same document just an inch away and she said it would be fine. Okay, I would go back to UPS.
Somehow this was the moment I realized I had used my last check to pay for the first half of the documents. For a moment I worried. But then something prompted me to ask for the total to complete the documents before I left so that I could bring cash back. She counted all the documents and gave me a number.
When I got to my car I felt a little discouraged. Maybe all of this was happening for a reason. Maybe this was not Heavenly Father's timing. Maybe I was trying too hard to do what I wanted. So, I said a little prayer. I told God that I needed some help. I needed Him to show me this was His plan. That all was well. I asked that if this was His will that I would be lead and He would step in and make this all work.
As I drove I heard song after song. Chris Tomlin-Whom Shall I Fear "I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind, the God of Angel Armies is always by my side, Toby Mac-Get Back Up "This is love callin', love callin'", Get back up again", "You may be knocked down but not out forever." I don't believe God controls my radio station but I know His Holy Spirit was speaking clearly to me through the lyrics.
I went back to UPS and they stamped my documents for free a second time. The stamps were not exactly where the lady had specified, and I worried. There was no way to change it now. I just had to let go.
I sent a text to Brad saying I needed a check or cash for the second set of documents and asked if a branch of our bank was nearby. He just happened to be able to leave a meeting he was in to go to the bank with me. I arrived at Brad's office and fell into his arms for a much needed hug. He provided not just the needed money, but a plate of pizza (it was now 1:00 and I hadn't eaten), some water,a few minutes of conversation, and a bathroom break. I felt recharged and ready to go back yet again.
When I pulled up to the Secretary of State's office for the third time I could not believe it: another paid meter. Free parking for the 3rd time. I looked at the other meters to see if it was just not a metered time of day. But it was. I just happened to find 3 different parking spots that someone had over paid and left time on the meter.
I showed my ID at the front desk for the third time and the armed officer gave me a sympathetic look. I noticed people were smiling at me all the way up the stairs and down the hall. Did they just recognize me from the two previous failed attempts? Whatever the reason it felt good to see some cheery faces.
I waited at the counter and saw the same woman again working at her desk. I spoke one more silent prayer, "Whatever happens I will know it is your will. If this is not the right time, it is okay, I will wait on you." The woman called my number and I gave her the documents again. I waited for her to complain about the placement of the second stamp attempts. But she just glanced at 2 of them and said, "Great, let's get these done."
He had provided.
I floated out of that office and back to my car. A parking attendant that I had not noticed before congratulated me and said, "finally got it?" Two bicycle police officers were stopped next to my car talking to a homeless man. My meter had just run out. They gave me a smile and wave as I pulled out.
I offered prayers of gratitude and hurried home to marvel at my day's accomplishment.
Then I was able to find the great release of sending our dossier to Ukraine.
So very worth it.
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