Field Trip to the Airport

Early last week we received our USCIS approval form and mailed that final document to Raleigh to be apostilled. Since the post office would be closed on Monday (10/14), we hoped it would be back to us from Raleigh by Friday so we could mail it to one of two families leaving for EE this past Tuesday morning. It wasn't here on Friday. We were pretty bummed.

Then we learned that UPS would be in full operation on Columbus Day, so we hoped for a Saturday arrival so we could get it to one of the families leaving Tuesday or a family leaving Wednesday morning since we could overnight via UPS if it arrived by then.

It didn't come.

It came on Tuesday as we expected it would. Too late for the families who left that day. Too late to overnight to the family leaving Wednesday because they were leaving early in the morning. The next families wouldn't be leaving until 10/26 and 10/27.

Luke and I weren't sure that we wanted to wait that long. Since it's the last piece of paper we need to be submitted, every day that paper's arrival is delayed pushes our submission date and therefore, our travel date back.

So I called UPS to see what it would cost to mail to the capital city. $125!! For FOUR sheets of paper. Ugh.

I called Luke and he said it was worth sending. So I got on FB and posted to a group I'm in of people using RR adopting in our girls' country. Since the two families leaving on 10/26 and 10/27 would need to know if I was going to send with them and I'd been sharing this USCIS situation, I posted, "Luke says send it. So I'll take it to UPS today." $125 more to spend. Oh well... 'tis the nature of the beast.

I went on to get the boys ready to leave for Micah's karate class a little early so we could get to UPS first. As I was walking past my computer to help Levi with his shoes, I looked down and noticed I had a FB message. I opened it to see it was from a fellow RR mom, Ines. The mom leaving Wednesday morning who we'd JUST missed being able to overnight our form to. It simply said, "Please call me!!!" and she listed her phone number.

I was intrigued and picked up the phone to call.

"Hello."
"Ines?"
"Yes. Rebecca, where do you live?"
"I'm near Charlotte, NC."
"Our layover is in Charlotte tomorrow. We have a 3 hour layover!! We can take your approval!"
"Ahhhhhhh!! I'm FIFTEEN MINUTES from the airport!!! What time can I meet you?! Thank you!! Thank you!! THANK YOU!!!"

We figured out the details, and yesterday the boys and I took a little field trip to the airport.

Ines, me (looking REALLY rough) and the very.last.piece. of our paper baby.

Ines gave me the biggest hug! Seeing her was wonderful. We chatted for about 2 minutes, each got a quality cell phone pic, and off she and her family went to Europe. With our USCIS approval.

We should be submitted SOON.


**Side note... I got the call about Lily while at the airport waiting to meet Ines. I did have to call back because I was to meet Ines any second and it was loud, but literally (and I don't throw that word around), the second I was back in my car with my seat belt on high as a kite (ok, that part isn't literal), I returned the call to find out we wouldn't be adopting Lily. It was a roller coaster of a day for sure, but we are THRILLED to be soooooooo close to submission.**

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