Have you ever used a Tul pen?  They are sweet.  Seriously.  I had always been a “a pen is a pen is a pen” kinda girl until I used the Tul.  For reals.  Hop on over to your local office supply store and check one out.  It writes so smoothly.

I whined, begged, and pleaded asked Jeff if we could pretty please get a Tul pen to do our adoption paperwork.  He relented said we could.  From the very beginning I used that pen to do all of our paperwork.  You adoption folks out there know that’s a whole lot of paperwork. 

We hit a milestone yesterday.  The Tul pen is no longer with us.  It is out.  Out.  Out of ink.  Does that help you to understand the amount of paperwork we have done?

Last night we checked off another major piece of the process.  We finally decided it was time to submit our agency contract.  I know.  I know.  Many DRC families can’t believe that we have our referral without ever submitting our contract (or the large fee).  I must say that I love our agency.  (Just email me for info).  They are so personable and family oriented.  They answer thoroughly every single question we have and are so honest and open about the process and what we can expect.  I asked if submitting the contract and fee would get us a referral any faster and they said no.  Can you believe that?  They had a chance to take our money and said no.  Clearly it didn’t make a difference seeing as we got our referral in a matter of hours.  Love them!  But alas, the time to submit our contract had come.

This evening we took all 39 pages of the contract to the bank to be notarized.  A very kind gentleman came over to help, but quickly changed his disposition when we explained the size of the job.

Thankfully he warmed up a bit by the time he was finished notarizing the 12 pages we needed to have done.

Tomorrow the contract, our referral for beautiful little Odette, and a mondo check will be dropped off at the post office and on their way. 

Speaking of checks, did you notice that our adoption fund has risen?!  It is in part to us saving every.single.penny and making a big transfer and because of kind folks like you!!

I just have to share that to date we have gotten…are you ready for this?

We have gotten…

not one

not two

not three

but $3545 in cash donations!

We are SO THANKFUL! 

We have so far to go though.  In the next few weeks our account will be dried up.  Yes, you read that correctly. Dried up.  As in zero. 

Normally this would send me into a tizzy.  But no longer.  God has taught me to trust.  Trust Him. 

We trust.

We thank.

We thank you!