They needed a marriage certificate, which is generated after the wedding takes place.
Those of us in the adoption community know all about the fun of getting one of those. {Grrrr....} It's a pesky piece of paper that the government needs for official business and it has to have the State Seal on it.
We also know how fun it can be to retrieve said piece of paper when government employees don't give a rip about getting it to us.
Each time Dani called the Country Clerk she was told that the paperwork had not arrived from the church, verifying that the marriage took place. Well...that was odd. It was sent the Monday after the wedding. How long could it possibly take to get there? Hmmm???
After two weeks of waiting, my dad decided to go down to the Judge's office this morning where the certificates are processed. He asked for prayer and we all prayed for favor with the officials he would see.
{Let's just say, we didn't have high expectations for their willingness to go above and beyond for this situation.}
We knew it would take prayer and we asked God to intervene.
My dad called me this morning during VBS. {Oh yes...it's VBS week and today's theme was...get this..."God hears us when we call."}
He was laughing.
That was a good sign.
Then he said, 'Karin! You won't believe this! I have the certificate in my hot little hands! God did a total miracle in there today!"
He went on to tell me that when he arrived at the Judge's office, the Judge was actually standing there at the door.
{As opposed to in his office or anywhere else in the large suite of offices.}
The judge looked at him, shook his hand and seemed to recognize him. My parents had attended the court proceedings for my sisters' kids when they were adopted, and this judge had presided over the case. He remembered my dad!
{Out of all the people he sees on a daily basis...}
He asked if my dad was there for another adoption. My dad said no, that he was there because he was having trouble getting a marriage certificate.
The judge said, "Really? Tell me about it."
OK...let's just pause for a moment. This guy is a very well known judge in that city. It's a very LARGE city. He's a busy man. He could have said, "Oh...the marriage division is one floor down. Have a nice day."
But no.
He listened as my dad explained the situation and when he heard that Ryan was a military guy, he said he was going to personally walk my dad downstairs and get everything sorted out! On the way, he wanted to know all about Ryan.
Once downstairs, he told the marriage clerks to process the paperwork right away.
They couldn't find it.
The judge continued to stand there, rather than instructing the staff to help and then leaving. {Who does that?}
It eventually became obvious that the paperwork was permanently missing. At that point, the judge said, "Look. I'm the judge. The pastor who did the ceremony is here. This young man is military and we are going to get this done TODAY. Generate a new one and give him the certificate!"
He waited until the certificate was in my dad's hands and then turned and thanked my dad for Ryan's service!
OK, let's recap.
Busy, important Judge's don't just stand at the door greeting people and asking them about their personal lives--and then LISTENING.
They don't personally take someone over to the clerk's office and instruct the staff to prioritize and process paperwork.
They don't stick around to make sure paperwork is found.
They don't stick around long enough to realize that the paperwork needs to be recreated.
They don't turn and thank YOU for YOUR grandson's service after they have gone way above and beyond the call of duty for you.
If the judge had not accompanied my dad to the marriage division, he probably wouldn't have gotten anywhere with them. The paperwork wasn't there. He could have asked them to generate it but it's doubtful they would have. Who knows how long this little saga would have continued?
But God!!
It is so exciting when we get to see God orchestrate an event like that! It was as if the Judge was standing there waiting for my dad to arrive so that he could give him the royal treatment.
God is always orchestrating our lives but often we don't get to see it--or we don't understand what He is doing. I love it when He lets us see it as it is happening!
So keep on praying for everything you need! God always answers our prayers but sometimes He really likes to blow our little minds! :)
