Postal Woes

You gotta have a sense of humor. Really. We are just starting on our adoption journey and already are realizing the LOOOOG road ahead.

If there is a mountain, a bump, an anthill to climb it will park itself right in front of you as soon as you say "Yes" to adoption. Will we let it get us down? NO! Hence, needing to hang onto a sense of humor through the process. Enter...postal woes.

Last week I had our first tip of the ice burg paperwork notarized and sent to be apostilled in our state. I walk into the mail place (not the post office) and explain I need the documents overnighted (four hours away). The lady prints up the prepaid stamp and I tell her I also need a self addressed stamped envelope placed inside. She gives a big sigh and huffs "I wish you would have told me that!" I look around, was she talking to someone else??

Nope. Just me. She proceeds to explain how she can't "let postage leave the facility."

I look around again thinking maybe I have stumbled into a sandwich shop. I see Fed EX, UPS, mailboxes. Pretty sure it was a mail facility. She asks me if I have stamps with me. Ummm. No. That is why I am here I explain. "Don't you sell stamps?" I asked her.

"We don't sell stamps here. We couldn't keep them in stock." I am becoming more baffled. I know I am living in the south but this really isn't making sense.

"So. I need to go over to the grocery store and buy stamps to put on the envelope?" I ask and she says yes. At this point I think I could have had more luck in the mail facility ordering a turkey sub on wheat, toasted.

I explain it is for an adoption and she gets emotional, places $2 worth of postage (guess she found stamps?!) on the SASE and sends it on its way. I paid over $50 to send something overnight and the very same documents came back to me perfectly apostilled in that $2 SASE less than 48 hours later.

Today I went to mail the same documents all pretty and apostilled to a far away land for $116. I stood there with my mouth hanging open when she gave me the price. I asked her if that was the least expensive option.

"Ma'am, we can't make the plane fly any slower. It will be there in two-three days. That is the only option."

Yes friends, a sense of humor is a must. How much is the going rate for "old gold" these days???