What Paperchasing Really Looks Like

Aside from the time spent on the internet, the miles in the car, the time in waiting rooms, and in line at the post office, you can bet a paperchase requires some good, old fashioned organization of actual paper.

Exhibit A:  My dining room table mid-organization of my dossier paperwork thus far.  Keep in mind, the dossier, albeit very important and multi-faceted, is but one in any number of applications, forms, etc. that an adoptive family has to complete. 

This is what an incomplete dossier looks like when it is in its natural state.  Blech!

Oh, the horror!!!

I'm not sure I told you, but I'm a recovering obsessive compulsive person who had to let some things go when she married and had children lest she lose her mind.  Not everyone understands my overwhelming need to detail my refrigerator like its a fine, imported sports car, but some might.

At any rate, you can see that NO ONE is going to be successful with a mess like this one!  Office supplies...STAT!  Usher in a detailed, checklist table of all necessary paperwork, gigantar binder, some page protectors, post-its, and a label maker and this job becomes a bit more manageable.

It took some doing, a few trips to the garbage can, a few trips to the printer, and some gnashing of teeth, but eventually, this massive amount of disorganized schtuff calmed down and moved into its new digs.

No one loves a good binder more than this girl.  Expanding folders are nice. 

I've made 'do with a hanging file box before, but a binder is perfection. 

Easily organizable, portable and available in so many fetching colors. 

You just can't beat a good binder.

This large binder is a leftover from a law school project that gobbled up all the current dossier paperwork with room for more--good thing because there will be more.  Not much more, thankfully, but still more.  Always more.  Sigh.
I had to organize all this to see where we are for certain.  Time keeps on ticking.

I dropped my husband off this morning to head back for a final round of in-state training before he leaves for another state and then overseas.  We have very little time between now and then to secure the necessary paperwork, signatures, authentications, etc.  It's an amazing process.  It's a process I wish I did not have to complete alone, but truth be told, even if my husband were here, I'd be doing most of this alone.  The gathering and fretting could be a two person job but all this organization is best left to one woman's melon. 

I cannot tell you the weight that is off my shoulders having this in the binder!  Tomorrow, I can design a plan of attack for securing the remaining necessary paperwork, make the necessary copies and be all set for a notary funfest in another couple weeks. 

Keep your fingers crossed for us!  Things are moving along and I hope more exciting updates will be coming very soon!

Comments

[Amy Ivey]

Ah, the red binder. Our paperchasin' folder is red too. :-) Whatever you do, protect that binder with your life! Loved the pics. Thanks for the smile.

[Lisa]

Binder girls unite!!!! I love binders!