Catching Up

We have been busy, busy, busy around here!  We still have not apostilled.  Thursday we had a (disastrous) IEP meeting at school for D.  Friday Jack had gymnastics (which he calls Science class) and David was sick.  We certainly weren't going to drag him to the Secretary of State with an upset belly.  Saturday and Sunday they're obviously not open.  Yesterday we had another IEP meeting for D and Jack had gymnastics again.  Today D had a speech evaluation and Chris had to get him out of school early.  We were afraid that he wouldn't be back from Nashville in time to pick up from school to get to speech.  And Jack had his library story time.  

TOMORROW is the big day!  Yahoo!!  I am excited, nervous, and anxious to get the dossier out of our hands.  Excited because it is obviously one big, big step closer to our girl.  Nervous because I have been guarding those papers like they were a child for the last four months.  Anxious because, along with the papers for the dossier, will go almost all of the money in Katie's bank account.  The next thing we will have to pay for is our first trip, which will be a big, big expense.  I'm nervous we won't have enough when it's time to go!  We have been very fortunate that every time we have needed money we have had it.  I need to trust that will continue.  And we will keep fundraising!!

I have a wonderful client who I just adore at work.  He is funny, generous, and passionate about his family.  He has contributed very generously to help with Katie's expenses already, and has even donated four tickets to the December 26th Nashville Predators game for our silent auction.  He has a super sweet daughter M who is 15 years old.  She, all on her own, decided she wanted to do something to help with our fundraising.  She ordered 500 pink bracelets for us to sell as a fundraiser.  The bracelets say TheSimpsonSix.blogspot.com and Help bring Katie home on them.  She did this all by herself!  For everyone who has a story about how awful people are and how depressing the world is today (and trust me - I work every day with criminals and people getting divorces - there are LOTS of people out there who think this way) I have a story about amazing generosity, the kindness of strangers, and the love of people for a child they have never met.  It's really incredible and brings me to tears every time I think about it.

My favorite part about this journey to Katie (clearly other than getting the child home to me!) is to see how everyone is coming together to help her.  It is so amazing to me.