Mailed to Colombia

In the middle of the hustle of the last days of school, and the other things going on, I forgot to post that our dossier was mailed to Colombia!!!! Yes, on December 17th it started its trek down there.

Thank you Lord that the day has finally come!

My Top Ten

I was tagged for a Top 10. So here are some interesting things about me!

These are in no particular order.

1. Clothes that fit me. I love Gap. So far they're the only place that really truly fit. It's glorious to have them fit properly!

2. Clean Sheets. I don't know what it is, but I love getting into a bed with clean sheets. When I we go to hotels, I'm in heaven because I can have them clean every day!

3. Vera Bradley. I love color and patterns and fabric. And those purses are all 3.

4. Lipstick. Growing up watching my grandma reapply has turned me into a lipstick girl. If I wear any makeup at all, it's always lipstick.

5. Freshly vacuumed carpet...ok, a whole freshly cleaned house! It just makes me completely relax.

6. Starbucks Coffee. I looove it. Every morning I wake up to it brewing in the kitchen. S always makes it first thing.

7. Driving fun cars. This includes brand new ones as a rental or test drive, or vintage ones. I loved driving Grandpa's 50 Dodge Coronet. That's how I roll, yo. ;)

8. Sparkly earrings and necklaces. My kids at school have even noticed this and one girl gave me a faux special occasion necklace! It was so pretty!

9. Good books. Mmm, along with a cup of something warm to drink. I can curl up and imagine my way into another time or place.

10. Comfy, but cute jeans. I love jeans.

Not sure if you can notarize this!?!?

That's what we said when the notary at the courthouse said "I don't think I can notarize this" in regards to our 171h. What? She had to call her supervisor to ask him.

But guess what? She could. She just didn't know it. And she did. We were able to go to the courthouse and Secretary of State and the post office within 1 1/2 hours! Woohoo! I'm thankful we live so close!

Tomorrow is another day

I was a little upset yesterday (as if that wasn't obvious) but I think I'm feeling a little more gracious today. Though, we can't get the form done today because S is at class. And of course, both of us have to sign it.

Tuesday

Ok, so we've been working on going through the 3 steps to get our I171H mailed off. We don't want to take off work, so it has to get done between 4 and 5 every day. Yesterday we took the copy to the bank. It was a different notary lady so we grilled her: "Are you licensed in Franklin County?" "Yes." Is your license filed at the courthouse?" "yes" "You are completely, positively recognized as a notary?" "yes."

You can see where this is going. Today we had just enough time to scoot downtown, and were hoping that we'd have enough time to go to the courthouse and Sec of State. Well I run into the courthouse (literally...it was raining) and in to the clerk of courts. She says, "Have you used this notary before? She's not coming up."

What???????

Dreamin'

As I was cleaning today, and putting up Christmas decorations, I took a break to read my Better Homes and Gardens. I've loved that magazine since I can remember first reading it sometime around 9 years old. Anyway, the "letters to the editor" section was all about different Christmas traditions. There was one I absolutely loved. The reader said that they pile their family into their convertable with hot chocolate and blankets and drive around the city looking at all the lights.

Doesn't that just sound fabulous! I have done that once before when I lived in Florida. We were in the back of a truck. It was so much fun!

So anyway, I was thinking about how I would fit us and 4 kids in the convertable!? Ok, so I'd need to HAVE one in order to do it....
Maybe one like this...

Or this?

I don't know if I can handle 2 wonderful things in 1 week!

Oh wait, yes I can!

We received our updated I-171h today. And how many days did it take them?

SEVEN

From the day the Homestudy was mailed to them, to the day we got it in the mail. SEVEN DAYS. Is that not incredible or what??

Now it might have been so quick since we already have an "open" file with them. But whatever the reason, I'm thrilled!

It's mailed, It's mailed, I can't believe it's mailed!

Yup, it's mailed! Wait- let me say it again. This time with more gusto:

It's mailed!!!

Ok, that ought to do it for now. :) I nearly burst into tears giving it to our nice postal worker. She told me all about the material the envelope was made of-Tyvek. The stuff they put on houses. It won't tear or leak.

Oh, I can't believe it's mailed!!

Dossier almost on its way

I wanted to get it mailed today, but after going to Staples to print off the ICBF picture page, it was already 4:55. No time to get to the post office! Not to mention the fact that I forgot to take the address with me! So I'll take it tomorrow.

After nearly 2 years, our paperwork is done. We've been doing it so long, it's hard to actually let it go! My stomach was in knots today as I was getting it ready. I kept thinking, "do I really have everything?" "Really?" I'm sure tomorrow I'll be the same way when I mail it. It seems surreal that the time has come. I just have to take peace in knowing that it still rests in God's hands.