What a blessing it is

Yesterday was a trip.  Yes, I meant that pun.  It was controlled crazy.  Which was different than my real life which is usually just the crazy.

I only brought two of the middle kiddos with me.  Oldest kid had a sore throat, youngest kid had an upset stomach, 2nd oldest had to stay behind to help take care of the sickies.  My beloved worked from home so that in case of an emergency, there would be an adult around.  It felt very strange to be leaving my sick children.  I didn't like the feeling, but couldn't put off Alice another day.  Thankfully, I had a healthy kid to take care of the other kids.

We left our house around 8. We went to Bucee's in Gidings.  Just in case you don't know what that is, it's the cleanest gas station and C-store I have EVER seen.  It's awesome!  I allowed the kids to get a drink and a bag of chips.  Yes, I know it was like 9:30 in the morning.  So, what?  It wasn't donuts.  The kids thought they had died and gone to heaven.  They talked about going back to Bucee's all day.

The dossier, a CD of hymns, and a bag of chocolate covered pecans and salty cashews.  The post-it note sticking out is where the background checks are supposed to go. 

Am I weird that I took pictures of the dossier and all it's adventures?  If the answer is yes, then maybe skip the next sentence...and the rest of the pictures.  I also talked to it as though it were Alice.

When we got to Austin we went back to the DPS.  So, to date, we've had our fingerprints taken by the FBI, DPS, Department of Family Services, and immigration.  I can't help but roll my eyes at that statement.  Nothing to say, just rolling my eyes.

I was so excited to have those background checks.  It was like getting the last piece of the puzzle.  I wanted to jump!  I did a little, but I don't get very high off the ground.

I went to Office Depot to make copies of the dossier for our records.  I was so nervous that the copier would eat one of the papers.  I stood in front of the copier for a while getting the nerve to do it.  But, when an 8 year old girl and a 6 year old boy have been sitting still for the 2.5 hours in the car and the 20 minute drive around town the motivation to move finds you. 

Next was the apostille office.  I had been there before in August.  But, it was now 11:45.  I didn't know if they closed for lunch.  I wanted to get this done!  So, I prayed and drove as fast as I legally could.  (read that as I didn't want to, but figured a ticket would slow me down more than the speed limit).  When we parked, parallel-mind you, we had to pay the parking meter.  I must say, I don't know that I've ever done that before.  So, I grabbed some change and thought I would take the time to snap a picture of the children doing it.  Then I remembered we were in a hurry and started yelling at the kids to RUN!  Halfway across the street remembered their book bag to keep them quiet.  But, was too afraid I'd run out of time to go back and get it.  How insane does that sound?

 Yes, I know C looks crazy in this, but I didn't have time to redo it!  I had a deadline to meet!  For the record, she was trying to get out of the way, whatever, let's go!

We rush into the apostille office and there is a man being waited on before us.  So, we sat.  Caught our breath.  Wished I had taken the time to grab the book bag instead of the above picture.   The kids had sat still and quiet for about....that long.  They are older and know when mom gives "the look" so it didn't take much to settle them down.  Praise God.  My nerves would NOT have handled too much.  The lady said I had to group all the same notaries together and make a note of how many of each I had.  I looked at her like a deer in the headlights.  The dossier has to be in a certain order.  I had gone over that order many times.  She wanted me to do what?  Excuse me?  I did as asked.  Without question.  Without grumbling.  Out loud.  20 minutes later we had our apostilles. 

It was done.  I felt like I had lost 20 pounds.  My dress size didn't, however.  Just sayin.

I met up with some dear, sweet friends for lunch.  These are the type of friends that totally refresh you and soothe you.  They didn't do anything special or out of the ordinary, for them.  They are just like that naturally.  It was perfect.  I was nervous about the day, so I'm pretty sure I talked the whole time.  I do that when I'm nervous.  I brought the dossier with me because it was out of order and I couldn't ship it until it was back in order.  I laid it out on the table and they helped me get it back into order.  I just so happened to bring the check list with me that had the order on it.  I hadn't meant to bring it and, in fact, got irritated with myself for doing so.  Boy, I was glad for that mistake.

From there we went to the UPS store.  $160 later, my dossier will be in Alice's country by tomorrow!! 

The UPS guy just threw the papers in the envelope.  Hey!  Don't you understand that that is my baby?  I didn't say that out loud, just in my head.  Didn't want him calling the crazy police.

Yes, I know I took another picture of the dossier.  The guy at the UPS store didn't even blink when I took pictures of it.  I must not be the only one out there.

It's done.  It's out of my hands.  I've been working so hard on this, I'm sort of feeling a big displaced.  Now, before suggestions to help fill my time are given, I've got it covered.  Thanks.

God has been so gracious to us.  I wanted to say that he's gracious to us all the time.  If the paper work hadn't come in, if we had missed the deadline, if we don't raise all the money, if we don't come home with Alice Faith.  God is still gracious to us.  God is good.  Not just when things of this world go according to what we deem the right direction.  This adoption is God's will for our family.  We are doing it to bring a little one into our home so that we may share the gospel with her and Lord willing have another arrow for God's kingdom.  It doesn't matter what things pop up or try to stop us.  We have the Ancient of Days on our side.  Who can be against us?

What a blessing it is.  What a blessing.