Alternate post

In the vein of "build it and he will come" I wrote a celebratory post about how the judge approved my documents and set a pre trial date last weekend- but that didn't happen.  After writing this, I sadly will hit delete on those dreams in that post.  I got news (what now seems a lifetime ago and many miles of scrambling to say the least) on Tuesday morning that I would require more documents - not many (actually only 2 of the ones I prepared in advance) were needed but there were two of the additional ones that were a challenge (to say it lightly) to aquire.  Lost in translation is the polite way to say that what some people want doesn't exist in other worlds.  In Alberta, we have "land titles" not "deeds" which causes some confusion for people and my being widowed seems to have brought up some question as to my right to retain my last name.  Interesting and very stressful. 
The past 2 days have been nothing short of a mad dash and pulling out every contact, person of influence, friend, co-worker, person met in passing, professional afiliation... anyone who is or has been anyone to me was fair game over the last 48 or so hours.  I secured documents that I needed, I found ways to get to the ones that seemed impossible and most importantly, people who love me (or are at the very least quite nice to me) came through in a HUGE way.  I can never find the words to thank people who went beyond the "box" to do what needed to be done (you know who you are).  People who stepped in and got the job done because they are tired of seeing me wait, the people with tears in their eyes for me at the bank while they told me Rick was on a mad dash across town to get the manager to sign what I needed and met me on the road  the friends with amazing Lawyer titles (Cam and Sean) who offered services last minute some at no cost, Russian lawyers who advised and couriered documents to DFAIT for the second time, Cam who endured (I'm sure with rolling eyes - I could see them from here) the phone calls and ubundant emails to check, double check and see if things seemed OK (don't worry - there's more on Monday), Corrie who I don't even know that well who is sacrificing the first morning of her long weekend to drop documents in Ottawa for me, Heather who has unselfishly offered to carry documents to Russia to avoid another courier adventure, Jason and Craig and Chris who teamed up to get my document managed from point A to B without ever crossing paths with me, Ole for helping me with things that no one else could, Marie for coming early and staying late and for doing exactly what needed to be done in that moment, even to FedEx (who is now officially my favorite courrier - not that Puro has let me down but FedEx is consistent and has AMAZING customer service!!!)... I'm sure I've missed so many people but to all of you - I say Thanks.  I broke down just a little yesterday saying that for such a stressful crappy day that I wasn't sure if I'd get through, it felt amazing to be surrounded by people who stepped up and kept stepping up to help me - for no other reason than they said, "you'd do it for me and we want to see him home too". 
So, today, I'm exhausted and completely worn out.  But that's the game.  It's the way it's always been for me.  Leave it all on the field - no questions left to ask, no "I should have's or wishes"... exhaust myself, brush off  my hands at the end of regulation time and rest.  I'll have a couple weeks of rest now waiting to hear if the documents are acceptable.  I think they are... but I'm not the one who gets to think these days. 

Someone said to me yesterday that I should enjoy a hot bath and a couple of great glasses of wine tonight.  I responded, "I'm sleepy, sweaty, smelly, and sober... do I NEED to wait till TONIGHT???"  Well, it's officiallypast tonight and I'm spent.  Not sure that there will be anything much worth saying for awhile... time and hope and prayers.  On that note, I think I need more prayers... they didn't seem to work last round or perhaps were delivered by DHL and are just arriving now.