You wanna talk uneasy?

On the 20th of this month we bundled up all of Hope's important documents and went downtown to the title bureau to fill out the forms for her U.S. passport. First of all, let me say that ALL of the ladies we have dealt with in that place have the patience of SAINTS! Invariably we forget something important we need for whatever we are doing, and it seems so does everyone else who comes in there along with us. Those women just smile and tell them/us what's missing and wait patiently for them/us to return. I couldn't do it...I'd have to hurt somebody.

So! The form that Garry had filled out was "the old one". Luckily, they had "the new one" right there. He filled it out, asked several questions and then the bomb was dropped. We had to send THE ORIGINALS of all of her papers along with the form. I'm shuddering just thinking about it. The lady assured us that she's had many other adoptive couples do this and everything comes back just fine. Everything includes her document of U.S. citizenship, her U.S. birth certificate, her Chinese passport, and her Medina County adoption decree. She told us to expect to wait six weeks. Well, obviously she's never dealt with our mail carrier. Again, I have a lot of respect for those who are employed by the post office. I know that there are just as many incompetent people in other jobs and professions. But our dear mail carrier is a study in caricature. He won't speak to you even if you speak to him first. I've stood on my front porch and watched him fill out a form telling me I had to go to the post office to pick up the package he's holding in his lap...I guess he didn't feel like taking the 25-30 steps up my driveway that day. When he does bring a package to the door he doesn't knock or ring the doorbell. He just leaves it outside the door. He used to put the rest of the mail with it...now he doesn't even do that. Packages are outside the door, mail is in the box. And lately he doesn't even put the flag down after taking whatever we've left in the box. Just in case you think this behavior is policy, it isn't. Whenever we have a sub on the route it's like the sun is shining on Hidden Valley. They bring things to the door, ring the doorbell, ask you how you are and wish you a nice day...amazing. So I'm just trying to keep busy and hoping that there is a sub on our route when Hope's passport and papers are due to be delivered.

We took Hope to the zoo for the first time yesterday. We were all very impressed with the changes at The Akron Zoo. WOW! It used to be, well, not very good. I think the last time we went you just pulled into the parking lot handed someone your money, or in our case they were having some promotion where you got in free if you brought a can of food for the food bank, and looked at the 1/2 a dozen or so animals. Not any more! It doesn't even look like the same place. Everything is new and clean and professional. The landscaping is incredibly beautiful and they are working on yet another whole new area that opens in October. We all enjoyed ourselves. Hope will tell you she stood inside a penguin. They have little hollow, faceless penguin bodies in front of the penguin exhibit that kids can stand in, put their face through the opening and have their pictures taken. Yes, she looked adorable. She will also tell you that she bumped her head on the prairie dog. There is a small opening for kids to crawl into the exhibit area and stand in a Plexiglas bubble to view the prairie dogs close-up. She didn't quite make it and bumped her head. But she'll still tell you that that was her favorite animal of the day!

Enjoy your week...more later!