7 of 10 are OFF

You may remember from our last Paper chase that we have to have certain documents SEALed for our Dossier.  This is  the process where we get the documents need for our Dossier - Notarized, Certified, and Authenticated.  First we have it Notarized, then we take the notarized documents to the Secretary of State office to have them Certify the document (basically certifying that the person who notarized our doc is a valid notary), they attached their certification letter and seal on the document, we then send it off to the Chinese Consulate to get Authenticated ( they verify that the SOS certification is valid - much like the sos did for the notary).  China just recently changed their rules so that those of us who has already submitted a Dossier do not have to send them SEALed copies of our Birth certificates or our Marriage license. Shew cuz that will save us some money....   Once the documents come back from the Consulate we can send them to our agency to start Critical Review.  And that my friends is where they make sure everything we have is properly SEALed and exactly what the Chinese government requires.  Once it's through critical review it will be added to our Dossier and wait for our Home Study and I-800A approval to go through the SEAL process.  Added a few other documents they need like multiple pics of Joe and I, passport sized photos of each of us, copies of our passports and a few other things I'm sure I have forgotten.  Cuz yeah like my prior post says - when you become a mom you forget shit!

Well today I took 8 of our 10 docs to the SOS to get certified and it was then we realized that 1 of the docs was not properly notarized.  Luckily it's an easy replacement, which doesn't require money so I'll just sent that one in with our Home Study and I-800. LOVE that you can call and get in line, cuz that place was nuts with it's line.  By time I got through the door I was #3 in line to be called and managed to get our of there in about 25 mins.  Headed home to make my copies and redo the paperwork for the consulate since I now only had 7 docs to send.  Headed to the post office and There ya go..   7 of 10 docs are off to the courier!  Managed NOT to cry this time while at the post office.  Helped that the lady behind the counter was a little crabby wow..   But I'm better prepared for next time.  I swear my mind goes blank EVERY time I go in there to send out documents.  Their express and priority express stuff is so confusing!  I think I got it now though.

Uh yes I'm going to show my lil brother how to smile 

Can you see where his smiles are going..  I hope he outgrows it...

We have just been busy around the Buss house working on our paper chase, PLAYING cuz ya know that's all there is to do in life at age 3, and working on future fundraiser. So let me tell you a story.....   I did end up starting my puzzle last weekend.  By Wednesday I got a text from Joe saying not to be too upset but this is what our son decided to do....

 This puzzle has 750 pieces, most of which look very much alike. I had about 1/3 of it completed (the bottom part).  What your looking at is all of that puzzle I had put together now in various piles, NOT together.....  I am thankful that Nian didn't put the pieces back in the box, and that it wasn't Isabel cuz I would have for sure been missing a few.  At least I knew what was on the mat had been together at one time...  Thank God I had my hair appointment that night cuz honestly the more I looked at it the more upset I got.  I know he didn't do it on purpose and he's only 3 and doesn't know any better.  You just can't turn off some feelings sometimes and to just look at it and remember how hard part of it were to match. I was ok by time I got back home.  Just a reminder of how life is and how our journey is.  Things happen that we have no control over, and we hurt/get angry KNOWING that wasn't the intent.  Becky learned a valuable lesson this week. If you don't want the kids (boy or dog) to mess with your stuff PUT IT OUT OF REACH!!!  

Here are some fun pictures from this summer.  

Popsicle are good, but in the tub they are AWESOME.

Nian need to pack a lunch too after helping me pack Baba's!

Going to play in the rain!

Babies.. with Mom, Dad, and the Nanny per my sister

Walking in Baba's shoes is fun!