Tying Up Loose Ends

Update on what has transpired in the last two days. . . more good news!

I received a call from Joanie of the Michigan Secretary of State office in Lansing, Michigan yesterday afternoon.  Turns out they have our original request for the birth certificate apostille right there under their nose!  She was looking for a UPS brown envelope, and not a parcel with just a UPS label.  There ya go. . . Thank God it was found!  Redeems them of a bad reputation, and helps us get an extra apostilled birth certificate for Carolyn Anne.  Now her birth certificate documents will match mine in quantity and quality, as I too have two apostilled birth certificates.  Joanie said she would ensure they were processed immediately and would be in the UPS system by the end of the day.  Very good news indeed!

As Doctor Luke, writer of the eponymous Gospel of Luke would say, "make a careful search."  (Luke 1:3)  She did, and that's how it was found.  Being more careful and observant.  Lesson to be had there. 

Our second chance attempt to get the same document apostilled is due to arrive at our friend's residence later on today.  So now it's a horse race of sorts to see which one comes back to us first.  We'll gladly take one or the other. . . actually, both.  By next week, Monday or Tuesday at the latest, we should have the both of them.  Fabulous!

Meanwhile, Pilgrim's Rest is still on track to closing escrow.  I played phone tag with my realtor friend, and it looks like we're all good to go.  Funding for the loan from the mortgage company looks like it's gonna happen this time (new papers were signed Friday), and so we will get our monies for the proceeds of the sale.  Off to Grace Thrift later on today to remind them to make the pickup of our furniture donations one last time, which will clear the house out of everything remaining except for the few remaining items we'll take out to our temporary storage unit. 

Our "roadmap" of sorts, an MS Word document I've entitled "Ecuador Immigration Checklist," has all sorts of items on it marked "DONE" on it now.  It gets easier from this point in the journey on, although we will give up certainty for the interim in where we are located. . . motel life it is for now.  

So incredibly grateful for our great God for getting us to this point!  My wife is doing well and in great spirits about the whole thing still, and things are coming together and on track for our flight in a few weeks. . . looking around on the 'Net via Google Flights app for appropriate fares that will allow us to fly our pet in the checked baggage compartment of our airplane, and take as many pieces of luggage as we deem appropriate.  Thinking about 10 or 12 total at this point as we are getting a better visual of our belongings we plan to take all located together in our temporary storage unit.  American won't let us take but one piece of checked baggage per person.  Ouch!  What are they thinking?  United is better, but not much.  Only four total pieces per person.  Delta is looking good, though.  Up to ten pieces *per person.*  That. could. be. done.  This. is. doable.  

Had our first official "goodbye" supper with our good friends Gary and Julie Wotasik, and their new in the process of adoption daughter from mutual friends we knew, EvaLynn.  Those two are incredible.  Gary gave the message for the worship service last Sunday at Cornerstone Church in Littlerock on missions, and what God's heart is regarding missions - which entails the direction we are headed to in living in a foreign land to befriend people who are culturally different from us and speak a different language.  Last year, they attended what is known as the "Perspectives" class (online here: http://www.perspectives.org/ ) where people may learn more about the mission field, what happens there, and how God reaches people through ordinary, yet willing people like them and us.  This year, they are teaching the class.  Good, close friends who love the Lord and love people. . . we will miss them, though we plan to use Skype to keep in touch.  

Julie was tired from having literally a "Three Dog Night!"  Gary was staying at his mother's in Long Beach and Julie was alone in bed with three pet dogs coming into the room beside her and keeping her up at night.  She was glad to see us, but the yawning couldn't be helped.  We have to take advantage of each moment, "for the days are evil" as the Apostle Paul remarked to the early church at Ephesus (Ephesians 5:16).

Hope to spend some time with other cousins as well in the local/regional area before we go.  In touch with some of my siblings too, and they are supportive and understand the adventure ahead for us.