Try, Try Again

Late afternoon yesterday we got an email from the agency, but not the one we were hoping. We needed to redo a single form that still had the remnants of our former region, St. Petersburg, and didn’t say the word Pskov. This form originally had two blanks left intentionally blank (this is important to know for later in the story)
So, I redid the forms. Called just to make sure those blanks should still be left blank. Yes. So I had them re-notarized and paid for the overnight to the Secretary of State to Apostille them. My very understanding boss allowed me to step out for a few minutes and run to the post office. Then I realized I was out of checks to send the $8 needed to send for the certificate. Stopped by the bank. Got $20. Went to the gas station and bought some much needed caffeine to break the $20. Asked the cashier for some singles. Went to the post office, mailed off the package with a return envelope inside to skip the middle man (me) and be sent directly to the agency. Breathed a sigh of relief.
Got back to the office. The phone rang. It was the agency (once again not with good news, I say that for people like my mom whom I start every conversation with the phrase “I don’t have any news” prior to starting any conversation)
She just found out like 10 minutes ago that S.O.S. will no longer Apostille documents with blanks left in a form. “But I’m sure you haven’t sent them yet!” “Uhhhh…..actually I have.” I do not let dust settle on me when it comes to the parts of this adoption I can control. Our case manager applauds me on my super fast, efficient, proficient paperwork fortitude. Unfortunately, I’ve just overnighted a package that is incorrect. Do you hear that sound? $15 going directly down the drain. So I…….
Redid the form.
Had Chad stop by my office
Signed everything over again
Re-notarized the document(thank you Michele, working in a law firm has it’s perks. EVERYONE is a Notary!)
Made copies of everything again
Printed another mailing label
Paid another $15
Sent Chad off to the post office
Sent an e-mail to the S.O.S. office explaining the error and begged her not to return the incorrect forms to us.
Then hoped that the mess of paperwork I have created over ONE single piece of paper with ONE incorrect word is magically made right with a little prayer.
*In case you are wondering, because I was and I asked, this error and ONE incorrect word should not harm us in getting a referral, hopefully very soon.* The positive side of this is that right now the DOE (just think of them as the Wizard of Oz that grant the baby delivery in Russia) is reviewing our file and trying to get us matched up with Baby Deetz! I mean they are actually looking at our file, which I think is just great news. I was a little frustrated by this crazy ordeal today, but it did feel really good to be doing something! Not just sitting and waiting. I mean you just gotta roll with the punches. Being angry or discouraged really doesn’t help things. At this point if they asked me to fill out a form in Swahili and write in rainbow colored ink and enclose a picture of a chicken in letter I would do it and never think twice. I would just say “Here….ChaCha!” (That’s chicken in Swahili in case you were wondering.)