Paper Work headaches

Starting the process of getting my father-in-law, Jack, moved and getting the paperwork to obtain my husband's employment visa has been exhausting.  


Since we found out less than 3 weeks ago we have gotten everything ready to move Jack to SC.  We will be renting a U-Haul trailer to attach to my mini-van, which my brother will drive.  My family and Jack will drive his mini-van.  My brother has been a God send since he flying from NC to drive the U-Haul for us.  From SC we will drive to NC to visit my family, then back to SC to check back in on Jack before we drive to FL to visit my sister then back to TX.  All of this will be done in 13 days from start to finish.  On the plus side, we will be listening to book 6 of the Harry Potter series on the drive so hopefully it will help make the trip feel shorter. 

We are also trying to get all the paperwork ready for the Visas.  The oddest thing we encountered is Ken has to get his diploma apostilled.  This is a painful process in the best of circumstances because it requires your diploma to be notarized within the last 12 months and then taken to Secretary of States office for the state it which it was notarized.  Well, Ken graduated from UVA and their diplomas are HUGE.  We also got it framed and the person glued it to the mat.  What this means is I have to take the diploma, still attached to the mat, to a local blueprint office (Kinko's can not do it) to get it copied, and shrunk to an 8 1/2" by 11"  before we can mail the copy to UVA for the rest of the process to start.  Again, I thank my brother, Robbie, who has agreed to pick up the diploma from UVA and take it to the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Richmond so we don't have the extra mail time from VA, to TX, back to VA.  Lots of other paper work as well, but this is the one that has been the most frustrating.  It is also the only part of the process that I had to look up a word, apostilled, before I could even start the process. 

On the home front, we have been looking for someone to live in our house while we are gone.  Thankfully, we have found someone that we trust and couldn't be happier.  There were some people who were disappointed because they wanted to stay in our house.  I guess that means we are not asking enough for the house but having someone we trust means a lot to us.  

I know the next 3 weeks will be emotional with all the goodbyes to family.  Keep us in your thoughts and prayers that we stay safe on this first of many long trips this summer. 

Marilyn