Official Business

You probably shouldn't mess with Cora...

I think we are legit now.  Cora and I got our passports and Australian visas! (Anyone that has applied for either of those things knows how big of an accomplishment that is!!)  After many phone calls, hours online, and random fees, we did it.  We navigated the crazy government processes and procedures that should be all user-friendly and stuff :)  It's funny.  Any time a legal procedure including Social Security, a bank, insurance, or my birth certificate works out, I feel extremely accomplished.  I know the government isn't playing a game with me, but sometimes I like to tell myself that I "won", anyways.

Here's another story that has to do with the government:

On September 11, this year, I got a phone call around noon from the government agency where my husband works.  The woman on the other line informed me that my husband never made it to work that morning, or at least their records don't show that he logged in for the day.  Now, Sterling leaves for work before 6 am so he can get to work by 7 am and beat all of the DC traffic.  He goes with a vanpool, so the lady on the phone asked me who he drives to work with, but of course, I only have a few first names of some of the people.  Then I start to panic a little bit more because I realize that it has been over 6 hours since he left for work and no one knows where he is.  The lady is worried too, and tells me that she doesn't want to just hang up and leave me without any information.  It is so ironic.  Just the night before, Sterling and I were talking about how we haven't had to go through anything super difficult or trying in our marriage thus far.  Then my head started to go to the worst-case scenarios.  Then the woman on the phone said that she was getting a call on the other end and told me to hold.  She got back to me and told me that Sterling was on the other line.  He had forgotten to tell his office that he was attending a training class at another facility that morning.  Take about not funny.  She put him on the phone with me and I started to cry.  I can't explain how grateful I was just to talk to him.  It was a good wake up call for me that life-altering accidents and disasters can happen within a matter of seconds.  I felt a bit silly for getting so worked up, but I am so thankful for my husband and his safety.  I have always prayed that he will get to and from work okay each day and I am going to continue to do so!  

Like a little girl, I was waiting with Cora on our front steps for Sterling to get home that evening.  He had told me earlier that he felt so bad for scaring me like that.  One the way home from work, he stopped and got me flowers (along with something I had forgotten I needed for dinner).  So sweet.  They are sitting on my nightstand.  I didn't mean to make him feel guilty for forgetting to tell his office where he was going!  Anyways, I am so thankful for the beautiful flowers and even more thankful for my thoughtful, caring husband.  (I hope to never, ever in a million years get a phone call from that lady again, as pleasant as she was!  That was a little too emotionally involved for me...)