Don't ask....because I don't know!!

As you all know, last night was tough!! I was worried about how today would go....The day started with a phone call from Norman at 1:30 AM letting me know that he had our documents - which he got from our friend Tommy at the airport. When my phone rang, I thought it was my alarm and turned it off....realized the time and took the next call from Norman!! ;)

So the day started off great - one thing checked off!! Norman picked us up at 7:30 AM (did the guy sleep at all last night?) and I immediately called Freddy to tell him we were on the way. Good thing I called because I woke him up (he seriously told me that his watch had stopped working!!) and we had to pick him up close to his house because he was running late. So already, we were behind schedule. We got there and headed to some sort of office that authenticates documents...so the documents we had from the Nicaraguan Embassy still needed authentication - don't ask...because I don't know!!

Nubia - our lawyer - met us there. The authentication process was quick and I was thinking that we were doing pretty good on our schedule. Know that my plan (I live by planning) was to be at the immigration office early so we could pick up Gracie's passport in the afternoon and possibly meet with the US Embassy and be done!!

Once Nubia looked over the documents - she told Freddy that the title of the document was incorrect. Apparently it needs to read "Special Document" and ours read "Document of Correction". She blamed Freddy because he didn't send the document to her for final approval before sending it to me. My question was "Now, she is saying this.....why didn't she say something last Friday?" After further review of the document, she found another "error" - it stated that Gracie was born on November 20th in Managaua and she was born in a different city. She told Freddy this was a MAJOR ISSUE and if they caught this...we would have to have another document sent. Not news that I wanted to hear.

So instead of going to the Immigration office, we went across the street where there were several lawyers with typewriters that would make an addendum for you right there. We sat down and waited for an hour, while a lawyer typed a document that amended the title of our Power of Attorney. This was a tough hour for me....the girls were restless, we had not had breakfast yet - it was hot and we were on a very busy street, so the entire time I was worried about one of them walking away or getting abducted!! Norman was a God send...he played with the girls and kept a good eye on them while I tried to figure out what was taking so damn long and getting us way off schedule.

Nubia was so negative....she kept talking to Freddy (never me) and complaining about how my negative energy was making her lose sleep!! Apparently, when I lost my mind in the Immigration office last Friday...that was upsetting to her. My response....I have lost sleep for days...and this is HER issue...HER error and how does she expect me to respond? She was apparently mad at me because she kept her back to me the entire time we were there and I was so close to slapping the back of her head and HARD....I could visualize her head snapping up and down. No permanent damage but at least hard enough for her to know that I deserve respect and she needs to do a better job!!

Once the 2 addendum's were finished, we headed over to Immigration and I was told that there was a very small possibility that this would work. They would catch the error of the city Gracie was born or wouldn't accept the addendum.

It is very difficult to spend 4 hours in an office where you stand in one line and finally talk to someone, who then sends you to another line and again and again. The entire time you have children to watch, appease and are doing everything you can to keep your sanity. The girls' kept asking me "How much longer Mommy?" "What is he doing?" "When can we go home" and my answer to every question was "Don't ask me...I don't know!!!"

We spent a half an hour in one line...sent to another and another and another... Every time we changed lines I would say "Ay ay ay!!!" The third time I said that my interpreter told me I was stressing him out so I turned to the one person in my life who ALWAYS listens and ALWAYS has my back....my husband.

Many of you know my husband as a very mild mannered guy...and he is... until he gets angry. It takes a lot, but when he does....watch out!! When I called Tim and told him what was going on, he started to tell me how ridiculous this entire process was, how upset he was and he used the "F" word about 10 times!!! I found this refreshing!! My husband was saying exactly what I was feeling but couldn't say!! I got off the phone and told Freddy how upset Tim was and this made him even more stressed. ;)

We FINALLY met with the boss lady...the same one who turned us down on Friday!! Both Freddy and I were freaking out while she was reading through our documents. She asked us a couple of questions and started signing her name on every page!! When we left the office, Freddy and I were both crying and hugging each other. What a relief!! Our passport was approved!!! We still had a few more checks that we sweated through, those but in the end...success!! My expectations of the day were completed washed away, but I was so so happy to have this one step FINISHED!!

I called my husband and knew he was still VERY upset, so I said "Hey love, I have some good news and some bad news - what do you want to hear first" his reply was "what is it!!!" He didn't pick any option, so I decided he needed the good news...yes, we were approved and the bad news, they said we couldn't pick up the passport until Thursday, so we definitely could not make our flight. Well, he really didn't respond well. I was so happy that we were finally through with the immigration office but he was still very much upset. So I told him I would be home soon and Skype him...this way I could help him see the positive side.

Now there is really only one thing that I know that will change my husband's mood immediately (seriously Meme if you are reading this...stop now) and that is to flash him. Any time he is truly upset about something, I flash him and he smiles...then laughs...usually asks for another peek and then he is truly happy. Happy to the core!! It works like a charm and I have had to use this trick several times. So when I Skyped him at home and knew his mood was still pissy, I flashed him and he smiled and all was well. He did ask me to do it again, I did but I heard a very strange noise when I did it. I told him I think we are being monitored and some type of alarm had gone off!! I was truly worried...finally my husband confessed that he was taking a SNAPSHOT!! Hellooo, I think you need my permission for that!!! ;)

So all is well with the Grimes' family. We are behind schedule but SO HAPPY to have finished this part of the process!! Tim strongly suggested that we move out of the condo tomorrow - as we originally planned and stay at a nice hotel. So I made reservations and we are moving out tomorrow!!! YES!!!! I am packing like a crazy woman and getting bags and bags of stuff to give away...it's a good feeling!! We will be staying at the Intercontinental which is right across the street from the mall and if we are here a few more days, we will have easy access to entertainment.

Tomorrow we are back to the immigration office to "hopefully" pick up Gracie's passport...keep us in your prayers...love and miss you all and soon, soon, we will be home!!