Trial and Error

Trial and Error

I love everything about living in the country, except for driving to civilization when specific tasks need done, and then it doesn't get done. This has happened to me twice this week.

1. Social worker e-mailed and needed tax document faxed. I pack the kids up drive into Bu----, 15 minutes away. Fax it. Take the kids to the park to play and have a picnic. This satisfied Wyatt who hates to go to town. Ellayna was exhausted on the drive home, but Wyatt and I succeeded at keeping her awake. Kids in bed for a nap. A success!
Wrong. Received another e-mail from social worker, I sent the wrong tax form. I wait till kids wake from nap. Luckily, I find that
Blo------- Library, which is a bit closer, has a fax machine. Another, plus for the kids is that we came home with library books.

2. Next mission=Copy papers and get everything ready so that I can immediately start on my dossier when our 171H approval comes from Cleveland. Saturday night, Matt and I and the kids head to
Office Max in Mar---. It is closed, as in, no longer exists. UGH! By this time,it is way past our normal supper time. We decide to eat at the Chinese restaurant. Had a interesting conversation with two small children, see below. Back to the mission, went to Office Depot next, which unknown to us closes at 8:00 on Saturday night. The employee was locking the doors as we arrived. I realized that I drove 40 minutes one way for nothing, and would have to do the same tomorrow or the next day.

Cute conversation with 2 Chinese-American kids:
Some of you may have eaten at this restaurant before and now who I'm talking about. Two siblings run the register, credit card machine and all. The girl is 7 and the boy is 9. Whenever we take Ellayna into a Chinese restaurant it creates a small fuss. Customers look, smile, & murmur how cute she is. Workers want to know if she is Chinese, and then some act disappointed when we say, "No, she's from Korea." Others say how beautiful she is.

We're at the register paying our bill, and I'm holding Ellayna. The little girl is immediately interested in Ellayna, and I tell Ellayna to say, "Hi".
Girl- "Is she yours? Did you adopt her? Where is she from?
I respond.
Girl-"My mom is from ?, China. It is a special place in China."
Boy-"Why do you want to adopt kids from another country?"
Me-"There are children all over the world who need homes and parents."
Boy-"How much did it cost, come on just tell us. You can tell us."
So I told him, even though I've resisted prying questions from adults numerous times before, and his eyes get big.
Boy-"How do you get that much money."
Me-"Borrow it"
Boy-"Borrow it from where?"
Me-"The bank."
The boy now is really interested and focused intently on what I'm saying. The seven yr old girl has been interjecting this whole time about all the people/friends that she knows who has adopted or in the process of adopting. So, I'm really having two conversations simultaneously.
Boy-"How do you borrow money from the bank?"
By this time I realize that I have an audience of customers who are waiting nearby to be seated. So, I change the subject and tell them we are adopting two more children. We talk about that for a second and say our goodbyes. I know this little boy would have liked to have an indepth conversation about adoption itself and the finances involved.

Hoping that tomorrow, I can find a store willing to allow me copy a stack of papers.