One thousand five hundred ninety two

I’m really into numbers these days aren’t I? ?That happens this time of year. ?Next week you’ll get more numbers (and maybe even a video).

What’s so significant about 1592? ?On January 17, 2005 we signed the very first piece of paper in the process to become parents. ?On August 24, 2009 we put the very last piece of paper in the mail to Alaska. ?If I had more time I would count how many times I had to sign my name, apostille a piece of paper, have something notarized or check I had to write.

In five years I have completely changed as a person. ?Part of my soul was robbed by worry and deception. ?But a new part was formed. ?I’m still coming to grips with this new person and I’m tying to find the way to like her.

Maybe it is 5 years of looking over my shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop, but yesterday I was writing an email to someone explaining why 5 years. ?As soon as I said I was done I burst into tears. ?This wasn’t just a little crying. ?This was fall down on my knees and thank the Lord for what he has given me. ?A sense of relief that it is finally finished. ?It’s done.

I thought it was done when I took him out of the orphanage. ?I thought it was done when I boarded the plane to leave Khabarovsk. ?I thought it was done when I walked out of the embassy. ?I thought it was done when he became a US citizen. ?It wasn’t done. ?I still had to do paperwork. ?Someone still had to check up on us. ?They couldn’t take him away, but it still wasn’t done.

Yesterday, it was done.

Today it begins.

beach

6 Comment

  1. Lauri says: Reply

    Amen…. such a great thing to be done with.. our last one was in Feb.. good riddance

  2. Kim Hartman says: Reply

    The photo of you and your son is priceless.

  3. Nat says: Reply

    We sent in our last PPR in June. I never knew those things somehow left me with a feeling of it being “not quite over yet”, until we actually sent it off. What a feeling- a burden lifted I never knew was there until I felt the weight of it leave me.

  4. Suz says: Reply

    That is definitely something worth celebrating!

    It is a huge relief to know you’re done – really done!

  5. Congrats on being done but what are you mailing at this late date?

  6. Cindy says: Reply

    Wow – Congratulations! I will be so glad to finish ours up in 2 more years. It’s like pulling teeth to get anything from our homestudy agency. I’m always overnighting it to Alaska on the day before the deadline. I can’t wait to be done with the idiots. Thanks again for all your kind words and advice before we traveled last year!! It really helped.

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