• 10/1/2007 12:32:23 PMApostilled and Out The DoorLast month some time I signed up for an account with Federal Express so that we could quickly send out our important documentation along with a prepaid return label.  We had not used the account until last Wednesday.  Peggy spent a lot of time gathering and preparing our first wave of 35 notarized documents to be apostilled.  Additionally, she had to put together a photo album that represented our home and family.  The whole thing was very stressful for her but as of last Wednesday she sent them off to Madison - along with a check for $350.  By Friday morning, the documents returned with the seal of approval.  That was much faster than I had expected.

    The entire packet of documents will now be sent of to Val in Michigan where they will be forwarded to Russia.  Our names will be entered into the Russian database and associated with Yuri's name.  In the mean time, we will continue to raise funds and fill out paperwork.

    More recently, we have begun to fill out grant applications.  Some of them like Shaohannas Hope ask a lot of questions.  It is all a little stressful but in the end it will be worth while.  Whether we receive any grants or not, I will not be worried (stressed-yes, worried-no).  This journey has been the ride of a life time and I will talk about it until the day I die.  I remember when...
    - People I don't know and never met believed in this before I did...
    - Donations for Yuri's visit came in from all directions...
    - Like a bonehead, I purchased a lottery ticket looking for answers...
    - My friend Jon explained to me something all farmers know - when the sun is shining, you make hay...
    - I slept in WalMart's parking lot and listened to street racers...
    - We made 50 gallons of booyah...
    - We sold a bazillion Seroogy's chocolate bars...
    - We ran a portable food stand...
    - Friends and family gave creatively of their time and resources...
    - The Lord was at the center and directed everything...