Lists

srmmm09

How do you keep track of all the things you need to get done? Especially for IA, I feel like I have at least 6 running lists all the time, some of which are front and back with two columns (packing, documents). 

Is there a secret to list-making that ensures you don't forget important things and that you can stop obsessing about the certainly-important things you are forgetting? 

Still, there's nothing quite like crossing something off a list. 

IRR

We're using google docs so both DH and I can add to one list.  We are doing the list in Excel so that we can have columns and rather than crossing off, we can just put a check mark and any notes next to each item.  We currently have a "home" list, what is needed for IL when where we will need to spend the first two weeks and the list of things to do before the baby is born such as painting nursery etc.

srmmm09

It is AWESOME that your husband will do lists! My husband is awesome too, but definitely not in a, "what needs to be done? Oh, I'll just go check the list" kind of way. He does things in an I-shove-an-index-card-in-his-hand-and-tell-him-to-go-to-the-store kind of way. Or a taking-the-toddler-so-I-can-get-SOMETHING-done kind of way.

Which is fine, I like control. I just don't like when it's my fault that we didn't sign our I-600A. Still, if we left a document in the US that we needed in Uganda, I'd rather it be my fault than DH's (for his sake).

Allie-Jo

I really need to do the list thing.  We are only doing DIA and since it's with an agency I feel like they are being wonderful and basically holding our hands this whole process, but still.  If I had something that I could check off as I go, maybe it would help the constant over-whelmed feeling...maybe, hopefully.

CaptainSerious

I'm a list person, too.  For our dossier, we had to submit about 30 documents, and each had to be recent within 6 months, except a few which could only be 90 days old.  Because we were dealing with documents from 5 different states, we had stuff going all over the East coast during the certification process, and I would have never known where things were without the handy-dandy spreadsheet I created to keep track of all our paperwork.

The spreadsheet included:  each document; who it was for (me, my husband, M); the date I requested/created it; when it was received/collected; the date of the document itself; the date of the affidavit letter (if necessary); the date it was notarized; when the agency approved the document; the date of the county certification; the state certification date; and the date of the apostille/certification by the Peruvian Consulate.  It was a lifesaver!