Nicaragua Embassy...here we come!!

Well today sucked!! I don't know what other word better describes it. I knew it would be a tough day but tough turned into horrific!! We left for the immigration office at 8:30 AM - there was no air conditioning and soon, it was so uncomfortable. There were lots of seats, so the girls were very well behaved, playing their games and coloring. We stood in many lines...One line to complete the forms, one to wait to meet with the manager for approval, then to another line to wait for final approval. We jumped through all the necessary "hoops" and I finally made it to the final approval window! I kept fixing Gracie's hair for her passport picture and then there was a problem....My translator Freddy has a great poker face - he always smiles and albeit, I know enough Spanish to survive - I am often in the dark when it comes to the details.

Apparently there was an issue with our Power of Attorney, which we need because my husband is home. The power of attorney has Gracie's name BEFORE we changed it on her new birth certificate - it does however, show her original name and the revised name but the guy behind the window was not accepting it. He left us to discuss with his supervisor and came back about 15 minutes later with the same answer "this won't work". So Freddy told me we would work it all out and walked me to the other side of the building where we met with the main supervisor - a woman with a frown and our meeting was short and to the point - she wasn't changing the answer - we had to revise our power of attorney.

Well, we gave the news to our lawyer Nubia and she was furious...she told me the immigration office is like a stop light - green (meaning a go sometimes) and red (no go). When we started to discuss our options...I asked the question of how we could get all these things done before my flight on Thursday and her response, "change your flight". Well, after 5 hours of waiting in lines, sweating and having to appease my children, I was NOT in a good mood. At this response, I stood up and growled LOUDLY and walked out of the building. I am still a little shocked at my response but I was so angry....so frustrated. I finally thought all was going well and then, this. I spent a few minutes crying and yelling...finally pulled myself together and walked back in.

The plan is this....Tim heads to the Nicaraguan Embassy first thing tomorrow morning. He is bringing our friend Guillermo - who speaks fluent Spanish - with him. My lawyer sent me a letter that Tim signs and brings with him that explains what we need. They will create a revised power of attorney and stamp it and then my husband has to figure out a way to get it to me here in Nicaragua by Monday. This would be very easy in the states but the mail process here is extremely challenging. His plan is that he gets several copies and sends them FEDEX, UPS, DHL, any possible way to ensure it reaches us on time.

Monday is a holiday here...an extension of a previous holiday in July (seriously) - so we miss another day. So when I get the document, I have to return to immigration - go through the same process again - they will have the passport ready for me the next day - Wednesday - I have to then go to the doctor with Gracie's passport to release his records, and take all the documents to the US Embassy at 10:30 AM - they will then submit my paperwork for her Visa - which I cannot pick up until 8:00 AM Thursday and then head straight to the airport to make my 12:00 flight!!!! It's tight....nothing else can go wrong....and I am a little stressed.

I was feeling so good about our process - knowing that everything would go smoothly and now this. We were suppose to go to the orphanage today for a goodbye party but I was NOT up to it - so it's postponed until tomorrow. I know that this may seem silly to everyone - it's only a short delay, right? I can't explain how challenging it is for me now to not lose all my positive outlook and tell everyone to go fly a kite!!!

I am so thankful for my husband who when I called to discuss what I needed, NEVER hesitated to do what he needs to do to get us home. Our friends, who drop everything, reschedule their day to help...I am so blessed and supported.

Tomorrow will bring more answers and a better idea of where we are - Not a lot of laughs today, just a lot of tears. Please keep us in your prayers that I handle this situation...whatever it may be - with grace and patience. That my children continue to thrive and my husband knows how much I love and appreciate him. Here's to a better day tomorrow.