# R 540

Government offices can be very intimidating. Perhaps that's by design.

The first person you encounter, I call them the "Defense". They have all the answers and will often answer before you ask, while highlighting a paper with the address where you were supposed to go. They're usually sarcastically polite, and rather curt. They have seen 100's of people every day, most of them demanding that the rules bend for their case...I can understand.

The next step is to walk through the metal detectors and wait. All the while you are anxiously watching the scrolling numbers, waiting for your number to come across. And just as it seems the numbers are moving quickly, there's a long 'stall' 2 numbers before your own.

All too often it seems the people behind the desks are either just coming back from a coffee break or just going to leave for their coffee break. It is Spain, perhaps there is a mandated number of cafe con leche breaks?

Today, we went to renew our residency paperwork. Because of the move and chaos of life, we are in a bit of a rush because our residency cards expire next week. But God has been with us each step of this process. I reminded myself of that fact as I sat staring at the board blinking "R534". God demonstrated his power over "Pharaoh" again today. We sat at the girl's desk and she quickly processed both Jeff and my paperwork, even making a copy of something we had forgotten to include! So, it's done. We just wait for the letter to come back to record our fingerprint, and we're legal again for another 2 years.

The boys paperwork will be done on Friday in a separate office for minors.

We're done...for a year!

It's been quite the process to become residents. With government offices, each with a seperate set of requirements, a good lawyer, a good God, and an insane amount of luck...we are now legal residents of Spain

Here's the process:

Step 1

Step 2

and yesterday we recieved our cards here in town! After we dropped off our final paperwork at the Office of Foreigners in early December, we were told to return in about month and a half to check on the status of the cards. Most people warned that they really meant about 2 months or longer, so checking yesterday was a long shot. When the guard informed me that all 4 cards had arrived, I nearly hugged him!

I have been trying to take the stance that these government officials are really just trying to do their job, and they've been dealing with people yelling at them all day, they don't need me to yell at them. I'm trying to use it as a moment to brighten their day by being extra polite...sometimes I got the opportunity to "brighten" their day multiple days in a row.

So, anyways yesterday was a great day in the Carr Chronicles! We're legal! We have the card to prove it! And we only have to start this process again in October...

So, the anticipation of another possible 30 days to be passed in the waiting period has prompted me to take a moment to recognize and appreciate the things that are readily available to me here that will most likely be obsolete in Spain.

The list is as follows:

One stop shopping (ie: Super Walmart, Meijer)
Macaroni & cheese in abundance
Oberweis Ice Cream shops
Grass and large yards
air conditioning
Walking because I want to, not because I have to
Libraries with books in English (primarily in English)

That's all that comes to mind at the moment...