#21 - Mail

This will probably tell my age, but I remember when mail was delivered to the box at the end of the driveway and cost 6 cents per envelope.  I remember when there was no such thing as email.  I also remember as a kid being excited to be given the store fliers (especially the toy stores) and the feeling of my heart skipping a beat when there was REAL mail with my name on it, especially if it only had my name (none of this The Hayes Family or Joe, Barbara, Cindy, and Becky Hayes).

The cost has definitely changed, but the excitement of real mail hasn't changed a bit.  I love real mail - not the bill kind either.  And it was fun last week to see that Alex has the exact same reaction I did as a child when he got mail with his name on it.

Yesterday was one of those real mail days.  We get quite a bit of real mail in our mailbox, but 90% of it belongs to the previous tenants.  I took the latest pile of "not our" mail down the street to our landlord and was walking back when I saw the Correos (Spanish postal system) man stopped at our gate.  Junk mail is delivered by other people, so this meant real mail.  Then I saw him taking his helmet off (they deliver on mopeds) so I knew he had REAL mail - the kind that had to be signed for or paid for.  My pace picked up just a little with anticipation.

And sure enough, he has two certified letters in his hand that actually belong to us (he has been by several times in the past weeks with certified mail that wasn't ours).  I anxiously and excitedly waited to sign the papers, tear off the receipts, and exchange a polite Spanish conversation.  But as soon as he left, I flipped over the envelopes and tore them open.

They were from the Spanish government.  The mailman had brought real mail and good news!  Our residency renewal application had been approved!  YIPPEE!  And, in less than a month after being told to expect 60 to 90 days!  We are legal for two more years.  Of course there are more hoops to jump through to get our new cards, but the hard part is done!

But, wait... there are three of us who need residency.  Sure enough, when we tracked the status of Alex's, his application is still in process.  But, we don't expect any problems with his, it will just require another trip to get his card when his is finally approved.

But in the midst of celebrating over real mail and good news another thought hit me - Scott is now able to finish the driving exam and get his license.  I can't wait!  I am sure he can't wait!

Oh how thankful I am today for mail!