Notarys and Certification

It's been an exciting, disheartening, anxious, restful, trusting, productive week.  How can it be all of those you ask?  Well, let me share the story.

Earlier this month we got our finalized home study - YEAH!  There were a few minor things that needed to be fixed, got that taken care of - easy.

We sent all our Wisconsin notarized documents to be state certified and last Wednesday the returned UPS envelope was delivered to our door.  I was so excited, this was the last of the documents I needed to send our dossier into our adoption coordinator!  I thought to myself, we are almost at the waiting stage and one step closer to getting our little girl.   However, when I opened the envelope, we had 6 documents what were notarized incorrectly and had to be re-notarized and re-certified.  I looked at the documents, 3 reference letters, 1 bank letter, 1 employment verification - all of those, not a problem.  The 6th document was a letter from my doctor.  My heart sank because it took my 3-1/2 months to get the first letter notarized.  All Wednesday night I was anxious and disheartened.  I wanted to send our dossier documents in by the end of May and this was going to slow us down.  After spinning my wheels for awhile, feeling anxious and worrying, I remembered the verses in Matthew 6: 25-34
²⁵ “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Then I got to thinking.....My worrying about the documents is not going to get them done any sooner, I won't feel any better by worrying, nor will my worrying help.  If God cares about the wildflowers in the fields, He cares about me a thousand times more.  Also, I thought I am suppose take my cares to God because he cares for me.  And when I take my cares and prayers requests to God, why am I amazed things happen?  Why don't I pray expectantly....so that is what I did.  I prayed for 6 miracles, all 6 documents to be re-notarized by Sunday, so I could send everything out by today, May 28, 2013 to be re-certified by the State of Wisconsin. My 6 miracles for re-notarized documents was fulfilled. 

God is GOOD and He provided EVERYTHING I needed.   On Thursday last week I stopped by the bank and they rewrote and notarized the letter while I waited, I did not expect that at all.  On Friday, I met with my doctor and a notary from the bank who met me at the doctor's office.  My doctor didn't have her state issued identification (i.e. drivers license) and the notary stated she would not be able to notarized the letter without it, we had discussed setting up another appointment for today, but another doctor was walking by and she stated she had her driver's license and she could sign the letter.  The nurse reprinted the letter with the other doctors information and I got the doctor letter notarized.  Praise God!

All three letters of reference were re-notarized, and my employment verification letter was done today.  I was able to send all 6 documents to the Secretary of State today and will hopefully have the documents back to me by Friday or Monday, and then I'll be able to send out the dossier to our adoption coordinator by Monday or Tuesday of next week.  Praise God!

Psalms 66:5  Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people! 
  

Thankful Thursday

It's been a long time since I've posted for a Thankful Thursday, so today I thought I would post about an adoption update that I am SO EXITED about!.  I talked with our social worker today and she is finishing up our home study tonight....we should get it early next week.  YAHOO!  One more thing done.  

I'm thankful we are making progress, even if it's baby steps, its still steps in the right direction.

Renee's Healthy Choices Journey - Part 1

This year I am turning 40 years old.  My goal by my 40th birthday is to be Fit and Forty.  I started the year making fitness goals, goals that were big changes in my daily life.  January my goal was to exercise at least 150 minutes per week.  That's 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.  I didn't exercise that much at the beginning of the year and I still don't exercise that much during the week as of today.  That was a lofty goal with a big change in my daily routine.  I had started out strong but after about two weeks gave up.  Here is how the other months have gone.
Goals for the year, so far....

• January - exercise 150 mins per week (lasted about 2 weeks)
• February - do 100 sit ups per day, 5 days a week (lasted about 2 weeks)
• March -Track the food I eat on Looseit.com (tracked for about 3 weeks)
• April - decided not to eat chocolate or drink alcohol (Completed!) 

Okay, April confession, I did have a glass of wine on two days in April, but no chocolate.  I gave up alcohol and chocolate because I learned I turned to them when I was having a stressful day and not turning to God, who loves me and wants to be the one to turn to FIRST in all things.  Also, it's just lots of empty calories, that I don't need.  I lost about 4 lbs in April, not a large weight loss, but better then nothing.

My birthday is in November and I've learned if I can make small changes each month, then I'll see changes over time, baby steps.

Today is May 1st and I've started a new healthy challenge for May.  My goal is to log 30 miles of walking in the month of May.  I just had a Facebook friend and former co-worker log in 106 miles of walking for the month of April.  She inspired me.  I got started today with my first walk of 1.30 miles in 20 minutes.  Yeah.....only 28.7 miles to go this month.