Where Oh Where has my Passport Gone

                Those of you who know me well are aware that I do occasionally lose things. I have been working on this since coming to Georgia with a modicum of success.  That was all blown apart this morning when the identification items required to complete the process of becoming a sub in Gwinnett county disappeared totally.  The items needed would be my Passport, birth certificate and Social Security Card.  My Driver’s License was in my purse.

                It’s a good thing I got up early because at least an hour was consumed in a futile search.  I waited until this morning because I have a specific file in which those items have a special place.  So, even before I made my bed, I decided to get them out and put them on top of the 1 inch stack of completed paper work.  (I cannot tell you how many times I had to write my address, my phone number, my social security number,  my height and weight -that was only once-,  and date everything.)

                Pulling the drawer open,  finding the right green folder and opening it took mere seconds.  But the pocket in the back of the folder was empty.  No!!!  Wait, maybe it was another green folder, but no passport in any of them.  Maybe I was in a hurry and put it in another folder.  Panicked searching.  It was a good thing I took my blood pressure medication this morning, because it was climbing.

                Then there’s that moment when you pray, Lord, calm me down and help me think, but , the mind continues to contemplate the consequences of not finding them documents.  What if they are lost completely?  What if my identity has been stolen because I left them somewhere.  Now I can’t complete the sub process.  Should I even go?  Oh, but wait, I had to show them to get my Georgia Driver’s license so maybe that would be enough.  No way, bureaucracy doesn’t work like that .

                The clock ticked on while I looked through all my files in two cabinets, rummaged through everything on the top of the desk, searched through every bag and even checked the kitchen counter.  I had them when I got my Driver’s License so I knew they had been here.  But, I needed to get in the shower, because the search wasn’t getting me anywhere. Figuring at least the interview could get done only  completing paperwork would be left seemed to be the right option.  While in the shower, I remembered that I had opened up my Credit Union account and thought maybe they were in the folder from Delta Community Credit Union.  Excitedly,  I found that folder and looked inside.  No passport, birth certificate or social security card.  I had been certain. I could remember taking them to Delta and having copies made.

                Finally, the brain clicked into gear – I had used those documents last week, taking them to have an I-9 employment eligibility form notarized for the online job.  Mental pictures reminded me that I took everything in a plastic envelope that had to be near the top of something.  Walking into the dining area I saw it sitting on one of the chairs.  With heart pounding, I opened the envelope and there they were. Now that spells R-E-L-I-E-F  better than Rolaids.  I copied each one twice as required and also copied my Driver’s license as required, gathered everything and headed out for the interview and document review.

                Everything was in order and all was well, until I had to put my Driver’s License number on a fingerprinting/background check form.  I opened my wallet and no Driver’s License.  But remember I had colored copies of it, so that could be done.

                I am now duly fingerprinted and awaiting the letter that says I can sub in the county, providing of course the background check comes back OK.

                I drove home very carefully and found my Driver’s License on my multippurpose printer.  The passport, birth certificate and social security card are already back in the right place.  I’ll tell you, I may never travel out of the country, but that passport has proved extremely valuable here in Georgia.

My Cup Overflows

     Isn’t it amazing how God works?  This weekend, if I am honest, I was feeling a little lonesome – a tad blue.  My family was gone and I was on Ginger care duty, nothing exciting was on the agenda, I finished a depressing book, and I was tired.  That’s a formula for feeling sorry for yourself.  I officially joined the church where I’ve been attending, but the pastor preached too long and so people had to hurry to their Sunday School classes and get out of the way for the class meeting in the sanctuary, so I really didn’t get to meet anyone new.  Talk about a pity party.

     But today, I was back at school, continuing my volunteer stint in Kindergarten.  The children were glad I was there and Amy (the teacher) was glad I was there to help get ready for Open House and Curriculum night.  Several  people expressed appreciation that some of us would keep coming after our two week commitment was over.  Even the principal stopped in with thanks.  Amy invited me to stay for the Open House and I was glad to do it, because I’ve invested in those children, too, and I wanted to see their parents and loved feeling like a part of the classroom.  Amy had to take her own kids home and feed them so I stuck around and washed some tables and organized a few more things and did a little planning for working with some of the children who are struggling with letters and sounds. The Kindergarten teachers who stayed graciously invited me to join them for pizza.

     I checked my cool new Smart phone for messages and found one from the Gwinnett County Substitute Coordinator saying that I should come for an orientation, class, document gathering and fingerprinting on Wednesday.

     Then the parents came, and they had heard all about Ms. Beaver.  It was humbling to be reminded of the impact we have on children.  Amy went through her presentation and came to the volunteer section.  Then she blew me away as she introduced me and brought out a bouquet of flowers and started to cry.  Well, needless to say, I cried, too.  It brought home again how important the job of teaching is and how hard it is to do it well.  No good teacher wants to do anything less than the best they can for every child, even if there are 28 children in a class.  Amy made me feel like I had really made a difference and few things could give me more joy than feeling like I made a difference for learners and for their teacher. 

It only got better when several parents made it a point to come up to me to talk about their child and how they kept talking about Ms. Beaver.  Truly, I am honored that God through Beth and her church provided me with the opportunity to continue to yse the gift He has so graciously instilled in my heart.  It’s quite likely that this volunteer gig will give me opportunities to sub in this school if all works out on that front. 

     Indeed, I am tired, but my cup is overflowing tonight.