Stuff..

Two adoption jobs checked off the list...

Passports for the boys... FINALLY DONE! 
     We had a ridiculously difficult time finding ANYONE who could take the passport pictures without messing them up.  Twice Rob and I drove over with the boys to the court house only to have the pictures rejected.  The third time I took the pictures to get them approved before calling Rob to come.. only to have them rejected!  A trip to Charlottesville to the CVS to try again with a fourth attempt at the court house.. BINGO!  We drove away feeling like we had won the gold medal... only to receive a call telling me that I needed to go back and re-write the checks as the amount was wrong.  Sigh!  But it is done and in 4-6 weeks the boys should have new passports.  The boys were not happy campers about having their picture taken four times so in the end - their pictures reflected how annoying the whole process was! 

Forms sent to be Apostillized....
Today I spent several hours carefully going through every single notarized paper that we have been slaving over for several months (37 in all) and sent 34 of them off to get a golden seal on them that indicates that the notary is authentic.  When they return - all that will be left is for us to receive  the 171H (golden ticket) from U.S. immigration allowing us to go through with the adoption. 

We enter a time of waiting now - waiting for my documents to come back from Richmond and waiting for the golden ticket.  Unfortunately we live in a state that is SLOW when it comes to immigration.  So I am trying hard to NOT focus right now on what is NOT in the mailbox but instead am focusing on getting ready for our trip, cleaning house, getting ready to sell our history curriculum at the Conventions this spring and preparing our hearts and lives for Aaron's arrival. 

Now.. off to celebrate a triple-birthday party at a local restaurant... think the waitress will believe me when I tell her that we need free desserts for THREE birthdays???