And so it begins

We’ve been busy and have lots to share! Our biggest news is we’ve started the visa application process.

1) Last week we received our marriage certificate from Minnesota and sent it back to the MN Secretary of State for apostille. Once we receive the marriage certificate and apostille, we’ll need to have the documents translated into Spanish by a certified translator.

2) Fingerprinting at the post office for our FBI Background Check was quite the adventure. On our first visit, we waited about 30 minutes before the person assisting us realized the fingerprint machine wasn’t working because the internet was down. We were told to come back later or the next day. Thankfully when we returned the next morning, we were in and out in a flash.

3) FIVE MINUTES LATER we received the results of the FBI Background Check and sent them off yesterday for Federal apostille service and certified Spanish translation with hopes of getting them back in the next 3-5 weeks.

4) Next steps include: obtaining a medical certificate from our doctor, getting photocopies of our passport pages notarized, completing the visa application, taking passport photos, getting photocopies of our driver’s licenses notarized, and providing a financial guarantee.

So far so good! Moving right along, we also started working on decluttering/downsizing projects. (Shannon’s favorite!)

Project 1: Sorting, scanning, and digitizing our photographs

For years, photo digitizing always managed to end up at the bottom of the project list. !No más!

Here’s what we’ve noticed so far. The project is tedious, but having everything (scanner, box of photos, power cords) set up on our desk makes it easier to take the project in tiny 10- to 15-minute chunks of time because a little bit of time on a project is better than no time on a project. Good news is that progress is being made - Shannon has scanned years 1973-1991* of her photos (*and discovered she, oddly enough, has none from 1990) and Rhys has been sorting her photographs.

Project 2: Laundry closet assessment - first pass

So much of what most of us keep in our closets never gets used. We hold onto things “just in case” we might need them. We toss them on a shelf, in a box, or in the corner on the floor, to get whatever “it” is out of the WAY rather than out of the HOUSE.

First pass yielded some easy donates like electronics we don’t use, old sheets and towels to recycle, and weird hardware items that can be recycled at CHaRM. We also found art supplies to “use or lose” during our Year of Creativity.

Project 3: Clothing and shoes - first pass

We’re pretty good about reviewing our clothing on the regular, but the season change made this review especially timely. Both of us found some things to add to our donate bags.

Project 4: Review sentimental and keepsake items

This project has gotten the least amount of attention from both of us so far, but we’ll get to it.

So that’s the scoop for now. We’re keeping our heads down, staying positive, celebrating each small victory, and taking things one day at a time.