The Paperwork Puzzle

Last Friday was an exciting day!

We finally received approval from Homeland Security to continue with our adoption.

We had traveled to Charlotte on August 14 to be fingerprinted.

Then we had come home to wait.

But in the waiting time, we weren’t just waiting.

We were collecting original birth certificates, marriage licenses, reference letters, financial documents, copies of our passports and so much more...

Not to mention....

 school started

soccer started,

homework started

 and planning the next fundraiser started.

So, just yesterday (Monday), I visited the adoption agency to review all of our papers and sign and notarize a rather large stack of documents.

I thought I would be there 30 minutes.  

I don’t do well estimating time.  

It took 2 hours.

So then today comes.  After a fitful night of sleep, 

I beat the alarm and hopped out of bed at 6:20 am.

Destination: Raleigh.

Location: The Secretary of State

Mission: To Apostille  28 documents… all in one day.

2 hours of driving, a big coffee, rain and traffic and I was there!

Seriously, the lady behind the counter was so nice. 

Proof that God goes before us.  

Even when are just apostilling things.

I handed her my painfully scrutinized, signed and organized stack of papers.  

She handed me a receipt and told me to come back at 1:30.

When I called, the original time I had been told to come back… 4:30pm.  

Again… thank you Lord.

Time to Apostille. 

So by now, I am sure you are asking, what in the world is APOSTILLE??

Yup.  Before adoption, I had no idea what it meant either.   

Basically, it’s an international verification that your documents are legit.  

It is one more level of security.  

And money.  

And headache. 

But… then you’re done...with paperwork… for a while.

So let me summarize…

I gathered 28 documents, and several of them have multiple pages.  

And they took months and hours and $$ to compile

And Notarize

Drive to Raleigh.  4 hours round trip

Pay $210

Arrive.  Wait 5 hours.  

Visit an old friend while waiting.

Drive home.

Next step is tomorrow.  

Copying all of our dossier. 

Twice. 

Dossier is a fancy word for our stack of apostilled papers.

Then… back to the adoption agency… to mail this precious stack of papers… 

with a check for $4500.

It gets to our country

gets translated

gets to an official

 gets reviewed

 and then we get to go visit “Janie”!

To God be the Glory!

The countdown is on....

"The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8