Well, lets just say I marched in that establishment with my vulture instinct in full force, ready to pay through the nose any exorbitant amount of money it took to put any and all certifications, trackings, make-sure-this-doesn't-leave-your-site stickers on this puppy. Out walks a man from the back of the store with an oversized UPS shirt, unbuttoned from the neck, hairy chest sticking out, and long hair stuffed under a hunting cap.
(This may be the point that I started subconsciously reverting back to 1st grade and silently repeating the Hail Mary.)
I requested every security measure available on this envelope and I was met with this non-chalant response:
"UPS sees no value in your documents." (Aka, we will not insure them.)
HAIL MARY FULL OF GRACE....
Calmly, ever so calmly, I explained the importance that these documents get from point A to point B in the safest way possible. I also explained that I needed a pre-paid, pre-stickered, overnight return envelope inside the original envelope. To which he looked at me like I had ten heads and proceeded to fold an envelope origami style and stuff it into said original envelope.
...THE LORD IS WITH THEE... GOD ARE YOU UP THERE?!?!?!
Calmly, ever so calmly, I explained that I would really prefer that the envelope fit inside unfolded and if we had to upgrade the size of the original envelope I was ok with that.
I think at this point he started sensing my neurotic tendencies and happily obliged to finding an alternative option for my envelope-inside-envelope request.
Seriously, at this point I'm pretty sure I started sweating straight through my sweater. I don't think I anticipated having this sort of panicked reaction, but what I had not factored in was my intimate 10-month relationship with these beautiful, hard-won, unfolded, unblemished documents and I was not about to hand them over to someone who was ok with stuffing them haphazardly into a teensy tiny envelope!
After making it through the envelope debacle, he started printing shipping labels and then requested I double-check them with the address I had on my cover page document to the Secretary of State.
The zip codes did not match.
...BLESSED ART THOU...I CAN'T REMEMBER THE REST!!!
I looked this man straight in the eye and said, "It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that these documents make it to their destination, because if they don't, I'm going to drop dead."
Lovely. The eyes of the lady behind me in line widened like saucers and I'm pretty sure the UPS guy was now very clear that I may go hijack one of his UPS trucks and deliver this package myself!
Calmly, ever so calmly, we resolved the zip code problem and I paid the shipping fees and said a prayer while my credit card transaction was processing. "Lord, this is in your hands, please watch over these documents and get them there safely."
My receipt started printing and then my eyes started welling up with tears.
NO.
NO NO NO NO NO.
You are NOT going to cry in a UPS store in front of this man!!!
You WILL NOT.
Pull it together!!!
I bit the inside of my cheek and tried not to wince as he tossed my big fat envelope on the counter behind him and took the next customer.
I ushered my melting, neurotic, sweaty self outside and into my car, at which point I swear I starting having heart palpitations. I don't even know what those are but that seems to be the best way to describe it.
People say this process (adoption) can make you go insane at times. I feel like up until this point I had held it together pretty well. Call me dramatic if you want, but I'm going to pass go and collect my $2 this time, thankyouverymuch.
My crazy panic and my 1st grade Hail Mary's were answered with these verses as God brought them to mind on my drive home:
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:6-7]
I've decided to take this advice. I'm thankful for how far we've come, and I'm praying for the safety of these documents to the Secretary of State and back to us. And I'm asking for peace which transcends all understanding as we let these documents out of our hands and into the hands of another.
A...men.
One step closer... :)
Deep breaths! You can do this because of the strength that God provides!
ReplyDeleteKristen, your faith in this is awesome! The scripture you used here is one I have to remind myself of all the time and am currently struggling to remember. There are ups and downs constantly and trying to keep your faith in God's provision constant in the midst of all of it seems impossible sometimes. Praying for you through it and inspired by you!
ReplyDeleteI love you! I am praying for you and your documents! God has His mighty hands in the middle of this process. Those documents may have had to leave your hands, but they remain in His. Take comfort in that. They will go where they need to be, I know this because He is good and faithful. You will look back on this day with your child as a huge step. You will tell him or her this story and you will giggle together at how silly Mommy was and how much she already loved you! HUGS!
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