Step Two: The Funny Thing About Serendipity

Woke at 5AM and headed to the US Embassy to submit a document that says K is ready with her papers. Something that I actually could have done last week. Or ten days ago when the Visa application arrived.

It would have saved me my acidic stomach and the stress-relieving trip to the stylist to chop off my hair.

But it was my fault.

R and J paid me a surprise visit at my office yesterday! Since I haven't been able to drag my but to their side of Makati, they came unannounced and we got to do our long overdue, albeit brief, catching up, while they killed time before heading to a recording.

Of course, the topic of where I am in the process of getting K's papers in order came up.

They recalled their timelines of official documents arriving, and interview dates being secured, and it was revealed to me, and reminded to them, that one of the papers can be submitted as soon as possible even while still completing requirements. And no fees are needed yet.

Yay!

So off I went this morning. I arrived at ten to seven and was told to wait until eight for a certain window to open. Said window opened and I was then told I was at the wrong window. The window where I was supposed to go had no lines and all I had to do was hand over a piece of paper.

guard made me wait at the wrong window for more than an hour only to be told to go to a different one where i spent FIVE seconds. about 2 hours ago from web

Funny how I have been worrying about the $ 400 when I don't actually need it yet. All I had to do was fill out two forms and submit it at the embassy.

Who would have thought that out of the blue, two of my best friends in the world would come to see me on a whim, bearing information I didn't know I would need, in order for me to do something I had been agonizing over when to do?

I truly am not in control.

Thank you, God, for knowing all the tiny details that I don't, and for orchestrating long overdue visits with friends in the nick of time.

Now the wait for K's visa interview begins.

vaccination against: icould'vedonemoreitis

petition got approved. wow. things feel so "official."

it really is happening. i just realized that i'll miss a lot. from philippine mangoes, to commuting, to the people i care about. so, right now, i'm trying to make the most out of everyday here in my beloved manila. i do, after all, have only a few months left of living here (hopefully.) and i don't wanna get the icould'vedonemoreitis syndrome.

i'm gonna try my best to enjoy commuting. try to spend more time creating memories with people. and, of course, eating all the mangoes that i can get my hands on!

In the Waiting

Confession time. I'm slowly coming out of a three-week slump. More like a battle with doubt and unbelief. They came as tiny whispers, their usual tactic.

"What if Kyera's not approved...?"

"What if you can't find a job...?"

"What if you have no money to bring with you...?"

"What if you have no place to stay when you get there...?"

"What if you're apart for longer than you're expecting?"

An onslaught of their best weapons have been assaulting me. Little by little, my armor showed the tiniest chink and left me vulnerable. In the midst of this, I am left with the only thing I can hold on to - promises.

That there is One who holds me by my right hand and says to me, "Do not be afraid. I am here to help you."

That there is One who strengthens me and fills my mind with the peace that transcends all understanding.

That there is One who has plans to give us hope and a future.

That there is One whose goodness I will see.

That there is One who makes all things beautiful in His time.

I will worship Him because He is God and I am not. It is not mine to have everything figured out. It is mine to trust Him who does.

I will stand with my friend, Biko as she battles Cancer.

I will stand with my friend, G3 in New York who awaits the US Immigration approval of his wife and baby daughter who he last saw when she was a week old; she's now four-months old.

I will stand with eight year-old Ikey who has a tumor in his brain.

I will wait for Him. I will believe. I will trust. I will worship.

song playing on K's ipod: you're all i have by snow patrol

Step One Point Five

It's filed. My daughter's petition is now officially with the US Embassy and we are now tasked with the part that requires patience - the waiting.

Today was uneventful. Unlike yesterday. The difference? My attitude mostly. I went there completely surrendered to whatever was going to come at me. My God is in control! I repeated to myself over and over.

I disarmed the guards with my smile, surrendered all three of my electronic devices - two mobile phones and my iPod - at the security check, sat down at the DHS and waited for numbers to be distributed, and went to the window when it was my turn.

Same officer. Better mood. I made small talk, which I routinely do, and I was off to pay the required fees.

After a stop at the American Services section, an hour later I was out the door and on my way to work.

Lessons learned today:

Hundreds of Filipinos line up at the US Embassy in Manila everyday. Each one wanting, or needing, to go to America. All walks of life are represented in the long lines and waiting areas: the ultra-rich, the well-educated, the uncultured, the regular Juans and even the poor; all hoping to get their taste of the US. Each one lining up at the crack of dawn to face their dreams, or dread, of sitting across the powers at the embassy that will decide their fate.

If there is a will, there are many ways. My goal is to save money and taking cabs for each trip to the embassy is starting to burn a hole in my pretty purse(s). Today, I discovered an alternative form of transportation in the form of a neighborhood shuttle. Not only did I save on travel expenses, I got to clock in a good number of steps on my trusty pedometer from my five block walk (7,373 steps so far and the day is far from over!). As of last count, I now know three routes to the embassy. Admittedly, cabs are the fastest way to get there.

Someone knows more than me. Two of my good friends, R and J, are way ahead of me in the game and the ones who pushed me to follow their lead. Because of their lessons learned, I have a much clearer path to walk on. And because they have been where I now am, I truly appreciate the encouragement and comfort they provide when they say, "We understand how you feel!" The best part is having someone tell me, "Here's what you need to do next..."

People are thinking the world of K and I. My pastors and friends are all cheering us on through this. The scriptures they share and the little smiley faces they send to my mobile keep me propped up. Without them, and my new friends in the blogosphere and on Twitter, this journey would be a significantly bigger challenge.

K and I have officially begun altering the course of our existence. It hasn't fully set in that the people we love dearly - our friends and family in Manila - will be left behind. I refuse to dwell on the thought that potentially, we may never see them again. Thank God for cyberspace, our world is much smaller and people are only a website, a chat, a Skype call, and a Twit away. Nevertheless, I sigh at the possibility.

Staff raised like Moses, we now wait for God to do the rest. Whatever that may be.

song playing on my ipod: you're all i have by snow patrol

hawaii

hawaii.

right now, i'd rather move to the mainland since two of my friends are moving there permanently. easier to visit each other. and, i can just drive to mexico. i've always wanted to go there and have authentic mexican food.