We bought this swimming blaster at Sam's this weekend. I think it is going to be a great hit for the summer. Maybe next year we will get a real pool.

Please be in prayer for the Ukrainian Parliament on Tuesday. They are voting to ban all international adoptions for one year. Those kids need our prayers. Couples who are there will have to come home childless if this passes. Pray without ceasing.

Tammy

The new video camera was my mother's day present.

Summer has begun

A little update on the Social Security Number. Kailyn is finished. On the other hand, the agent was supposed to do Jacob's the day after I was there for Jaryd. So that their numbers wouldn't be so close, and mail me the paper work the next day. I haven't seen his number yet. Kailyn's was only done last week and I already have her number and Jaryd's. Guess I will have to make another trip.

The kids got out of school on Wednesday and we left to go to my dad's to take him to the heart doctor. It was just a check up and all is good. We came home this morning (Friday). Now we will begin to plan for our vacation. We leave on the 30th of May to go to Williamsburg Virginia, Virginia Beach and Washington DC for two weeks. It will be interesting to get ready to travel for two weeks with six people.

The kids did a few projects this afternoon at the bar. They love to sit at the bar and cut and tape and color. We have had some rain today so they had to be inside this afternoon. We are not complaining about the rain because we need it.

We hope to leave the kids with a babysitter tomorrow or Sunday and go to the wine festival. It is just fun. Not big drinkers, but we love to go with some friends. It will be a good get away for Kevin and I without the kids. We haven't had much time for just us. The break will be good before vacation.

Tammy

Social Security Numbers

I know that it is a little late applying for social security cards, but we filed an extension on our taxes and so we haven't needed them yet.
Yesterday, I went to the SS Office to apply for the cards. After waiting for my turn, I was told that I would need their Ukrainian passports before they would process. The lady at window 5 took Kailyn's Citizenship paper with her picture attached to the back and brought it back to say that they would need the passports. Okay, I will go home and get them. I put the papers in my purse so that I could return again.
Second trip, I wait my turn once again. I am finally called hand the papers to the agent and she says the picture is not on Kailyn's citizenship paper. Oh NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I look through my purse and there it is. Sorry we cannot accept this document, it is altered. Can't you see that the seal matches and that it just came unglued in my purse. Looks like it but you will have to return to immigration. GREAT!!!!!!! I need to speak to a supervisor. Okay no problem maam. Supervisor gives me the same story. Can't you just give me some glue and I will put the picture back on. NO ma'am we cannot do that. You could take it home glue it on and take it to our other office, because they don't know that it was altered. But this office will not take it. You will need to talk to immigration. By the way, Kailyn is with me, she has her passport, and I am her mother testifying to who she is. The same picture that is on her Citizenship paper is on the Visa that is in her Ukrainian passport.
So I place a call to my trusty Immigration Agent. He is not there. So I leave a message. He calls me later in the day to say just glue the picture back on yourself. We don't have an official stamp that says we glued the picture back on. He was very upset with the Social Security Agent for causing us so much trouble.
Oh remember me saying the the first agent at SS saw the picture attached and took it to the back to show a supervisor, well she conveniently forgot that she saw the picture attached. She would not confirm that she had seen it earlier that morning.
Thankfully, the agent that I dealt with on the second trip that processed Jacob and Jaryd's numbers told me that when I had the picture reattached, that she would process the applicaiton without a wait. She told me just to look her up and she would do it as quickly as possible.
In case you wondered, I am filing a complaint against the supervisor. I am going to send all the information and copies of everything with the complaint. Their words were that since 911 they have to be carful of terrorist. She is three. She has been in the country 8 months. No terrorist actions to this point.
Never a dull moment when you deal with government agencies. By the way, I have glued the picture back on. I will be making another trip to the SS office.
I will let you know the outcome of this trip.
Tammy