PROGRESS!!!!!!

Finally we have made some serious progress! 

We had to redo our medical release three times.  The last issue on mine was that our notary used a stamp that was from a different county than the one we signed in...grrr.  So frustrating!  So, while I was volunteering, my wonderful husband went and got both his form and mine redone by the doctor.  Once again, the nurse was our angel and was a huge help...we have promised to bring the twins to visit her once we are home.

We had to get the paperwork notarized the same day and went to the bank to get it notarized.  By the way, for those of you who are adopting, please know that the bank will notarize for free.  We made a *very* painful mistake due to complete ignorance and we had the bulk of our paperwork notarized at a UPS store.  It cost us $330!  I only found out that I could do it for free after I complained to our adoption agency about how expensive it was to notarize.  Ahhh, the painful life lessons we are learning.....

Anyway, we went to our bank and the manager said that she needed to check a few things since we didn't have an appointment but that she would try to accomodate us.  In the meantime, someone else offered to help us and called another bank close by and told us to go over to their bank.  We headed out to our car and I began to tell Robert how Eleanor had gotten stung by a bee on her forehead. 

I was quite engrossed in telling him how her forehead swelled up like a character in Star Trek......when I noticed that Robert had a faraway look, and then he turned around.

The bank manager was literally running through the parking lot in high heels and a tight skirt.  She was yelling and wildly waving her arms.

 I looked to see if we had left something behind but I had my purse and the documents.  We quizzically walked towards her in confusion and she was so out of breath that she could hardly speak.  We could  barely make out the words that she had just had a baby and was so out of shape.  She then took a deep breath and said that she did want to help us and that a notary would be ready in five minutes and that she was SO glad that she caught us as she didn't want us to go running around all over town.

Now, that's customer service!!!

So, we finished our last notarized document and off my husband went to get the documents apostilled.  For those of you that don't know what this is....it is an official seal that *each* document must get in order to show that your notary was a legal and valid notary in your state.  How much does it cost?  Well, each state varies but California is one of the most expensive, of course, and having all of the documents apostilled cost us just under $1000.00!!!  Now you know why my faith was being tested once again in my earlier post!  It hurts! 

But it doesn't hurt us as much as it hurts children to be without a family.

So here is the official office of the Secretary of State:

And here is the beautiful seal!

One thousand dollars worth of seals!

I keep this manilla folder in a large plastic organizer and I have been guarding it with my life!  I won't even go into a restaurant and leave it in the car.  I told my husband that they can have the car but I refuse to have someone steal this paperwork!  It not only represents a lot of money, but an amazing amount of time as well. 

So, that's it!

We wait for the final instructions on Monday and pay our last installment of agency fees and then our dossier goes out to the twin's country!

We're almost there and almost out of funds (and we have the expense of the trip and lawyer's fees next) so Monday is my absolute deadline for starting our fundraiser and announcing our business grand opening.  I have been so impressed by so many other families who are working on fundraising and their homestudy and dossier all at the same time!  I just couldn't do it!  I really wanted to but here are my current responsibilities:
(This list is truly to prove to myself that I am doing something even when it feels like I am treading water)
1. Mother to 6 children at home
2. Consulting mother via Skype/FB/and phone to two adult children (recently out of the nest)
3. Homeschooling teacher to 6 wonderful pupils!
4. Early morning seminary teacher five days a week at church & nursery leader on Sundays
5. Volunteer one day a week at the hospital
6. Business planning/development for our online business and fundraiser
7. Working on the crazy amount of paperwork for an international adoption

Whew!  I could really use to have a full time clone of myself for each of the above items! 

But, today I am finally feeling accomplished and so good about it.
 
Please call me a big flake if I don't announce our business on Monday....I mean it! :-)