All that for a gold star?

Please forgive the crappy picture quality -- the above was taken on my camera phone.

For those playing at home, WE RECEIVED GREGG'S CONNECTICUT STATE CERTIFIED BIRTH CERTIFICATE TODAY. Boy, you gotta love that small CT government -- very efficient. They did a 1 week turn around for certifying the document. Funny thing -- no original signature, just a stamp and a gold star. I love gold stars as much as the rest of the obsessive-people-pleasing crowd, but heck, couldn't it be just a little more?? I would hate to think the IN and IL certifications will be this, well, BLAH. for the money we pay for certification -- I would like some balloons or something will a little more pa-zazz, you know? But I'll take this!!

We are OFFICIALLY Official with AA as of today, so I'm taking the receipt of Gregg's certified BC as a sign of how fast things will move now. For those counting, we still need for following prior to filing our dossier & becoming a waiting family:

1. Newly notarized medical letters (they are in the mail now, and we should receive tomorrow);

2. Newly signed and notarized "obligation" letter from our HS agency;

3. Newly updated State Police criminal clearance (the old ones were done in July, so the state wouldn't certify them. We have our 7th fingerprint appointment set for Tuesday);

4. Notarized financial letter from our banks (getting these on Tuesday as well);

5. Notarized copy of our house deed (Gregg is working on this);

6. 171-H GOLDEN TICKET (It's only been 2 weeks, so I'm not worried yet); and

7. State certified birth certificate for Meg (the "new" original BC should be in the mail by now, and I'm fed-exing to my parents so they can hand-deliver in INDY for certification.)

Now that I have a Fed-Ex account (mandatory for our new agency), I can track everything, which gives me a re-newed sense of control over the paperchase. It also is moving things along much faster!

I am estimating that we'll have all of the above no later than mid-January. Of course, I think the 171-H will be the last document. Once we finish all our IL documents, I'll have those state certified while we await my BC and the 171-H. Then we are ready to bundle, write a HUGE check, and be a waiting family. How sweet does that sound??!!