Forty years ago, I was born. My mother was there--she distinctly remembers the event. Details of which she brings up from time to time in an effort to keep me in my place. A birth certificate was signed and registered with the Oregon Office of Vital Statistics. I have an original copy, signed in 1977. I have two additional copies secured in 2011 while preparing the STACKS of paperwork needed to welcome my son home, stashed away for an emergency or special circumstance...you know, like adopting another child.  Sadly, having your literal body, your birthing parent, an original birth certificate and two additional copies less than ten years old is not sufficient to prove that I indeed exist, at least not according to a semi-important international convention signed in 1962. So...less than 24 hours (October 20th, to be exact) after hoping on the adoption road again I started the process of requesting yet another authenticated birth certificate. The request it self had to be notarized...to prove that I am me...to request the proof that I am indeed ME. *eyeroll*  

If you are not a part of our adoption Facebook group, here is the saga over the last 10 days:

Dec 5th: Prayer request--Our homeland security paperwork has been processed and I am expecting the form to arrive next week. With that form we can send our dossier to Albania right away! However, my birth certificate-which is also needed- has been stuck in paperwork hades in the State of Oregon for almost a month. I received confirmation today that it has been sent off for official Apostille but can take another 2-4 weeks. We can't wait another month for this. Please be praying for favor and quick hands to be placed over my birth certificate so we can get it back in the next 2 weeks! Thank you!!

Dec 11th:Talked to the Oregon Secretary of State office 5 times today. (They are being truly wonderful!). The post office can confirm that my birth certificate was delivered...but apparently to the master mail room for the state, which has a 4 day turn around. My new friends at the Sec of State office sent a supervisor down to the mail room to literally sift through all USPS envelopes that arrived today in order to find and process the birth certificate and over night mail it back to me! We have found favor with the Sec of State office (thank you Lord!) now we need a miraculous finding of the appropriate envelope so we can get that one silly piece of paperwork sent to Albania! THANK YOU for your continued prayer coverage!

Dec 14th: The apostilled birth certificate has arrived!!! #kisses #papercuts

Now....let's get this paperwork off to Albania!!