What a Day

Why is it that things are so difficult these days? I feel like an old lady where I am that person who says things like "Back when I bought my first house things were so simple, agreements were made with hand shakes, banks had integrity, and life was simpler..." Or "When we adopted our first son the process took 8 months from start to finish and this time we were hauled down three wrong roads before ending up in the Alice and Wonderland tunnel that led us into a world that included a child we could not even imagine."

My question of the day is "Why do people not do their jobs?" We closed on our house today after trying to close since August 15. There have been a long list of people who have dropped the ball. So, I like list here they are:
1. The bank appraiser who was supposed to do their job in 5 days did it in 12.
2. The loan officer switched banks. Great guy but some how his case load did not neatly transfer to the new team.
3. The loan underwriter would say things like I will call you back in 10 minutes, then not call, answer is phone or e-mail for 2 days.
4. 2 days before the first closing the mister no call back loan guy tells us that bank needs $1,700 for an indemnity bond. Really, why have we not heard of this? Oh, because 99% of the time someone else pays for this.
5. New loan officer says the bank will not cover the $1,700. We ask him to ask his boss. He tells us he did and the answer we "No". I don't believe him, Realtor ask for it in writing, he stops calling her back.
6. New loan officer and underwriter e-mail ME the day before closing date attempt #3 to say they can't fing the appraisal and that we will not be able to close tomorrow and we will be paying a fine for late closing. "Oh no you didn't!!!"
7. We arrange an agreement for a closing extension again for one more week.
7.5. I go to the house with a friend and find termites. Mind you we just paid a "professional" $250 for a required inspection who came back with an "all clear" report. When I called to question him about this, I got "little lady how do you know what termites look like." Well BuBu, I did ecology research in the jungle for a year and I can also tell you what they taste like if you really want to know. Fortunately they were in a very isolated area and he took care of the problem. But seriously people do your job!
8. Underwriter proceeds to read appraisal one page at a time, then telling us things that must be done one day at a time. Night before next closing day gives us a huge list of things to take care of.
9. I get pissed and call the Mortgage bank president, armed with the amount of stock I own in the company, how much money they stand to make, the name of his boss, the company motto and creed and a long list of things he needs to make happen to keep my business. Oh and by the way, my grandfather and father started your company.
10. Bank president goes out of his way to make things happen. Covers all of bond, most of closing and profusely apologizes. We will be able to close in 3 days.
11. Today we go to closing only to find out that yes, the guy did do his part but handed the paperwork to the same idiot that wasn't doing his job before. Guess what they guy didn't turn in that paperwork. So our 45 min closing was the 4 hour closing. Finally we got it all taken care of.

My wonderful principal has this on going analogy about how all of the kids, staff, teachers, administrators are part of the puzzle. She gave everyone a puzzle piece to hold onto for the year. She wanted us all to think about how we fit into the puzzle each and everyday. She wants us to constantly remember that puzzles don't work when pieces are missing. I sure wish the folks that I have encountered these last few months had someone teach them this lesson. There are many people who did exactly what they said they were going to do, when they needed to. Unfortunately it does not matter when someone else drops the ball.

On another, but similar note I won a small victory with my health insurance plan writers today. Basically what happened is I was scheduling Isaac's surgery to have tubes put in his ears. I asked the person to look up and check on my co-pay for the procedure. When she did, she found out that Isaac had a pre-existing condition clause attached to his portion of the policy. She told me it was probably a mistake but that I should call BCBS just to check. I call BCBS who then tells me I have to call PEEHIP who writes the rules of my policy. I call PEEHIP and explain the situation. I am told "Yes, he is not covered for pre-existing conditions until April, 2011 because YOU failed to enrol him within 30 days of his birth."

Seriously?! I explain that he is adopted and that the policy should state that we have to enrol him within 30 days of physical custody and/or financial responsibility. She then denies that there is any such law, at which point I adamantly disagree. She tells me she will have to talk to their attorney. I leave to pick up the boys from school. I come home to a message that the lawyer can't find any such federal law and that if I want my case to be considered I need to find the statute myself. Again people DO YOUR JOB. It took me one facebook post and 2 min of a google search to find the HIPPA statement that provides the wording stated above. I leave her a message to this effect.

Fast forward to this afternoon. I still have not heard back from her. I call to find out why. Oh, the lawyer is very busy. I told him about what you told me but he is working on other things. Guess what, I don't care about those other things. I want this mistake corrected NOW. She admits that I am right but that she does not have the authority to change it. 5:30 I get a call stating that they will waive the pre-existing waiting period for Isaac. I then asked about the policy and whether it was official changed. No, you just get an exemption, you should be happy with that.

Hey lady, I am not a half ass sort of person. I didn't just adopt two kids then forget about the other 145 million out there. As my good friend and fellow adoptive parent David once said "I don't want to work the system, I want the system to work." Needless to say the policy has now been officially changes so that the handful of public employees in the state of Alabama who dare to adopt a child older than 30 days will be able to ensure their child a quality of life they deserve.

All in all we won on many fronts today. But I am tired of feeling like I must fight for justice to prevail, or for people to do their job, or for the right thing to be done because it is right, not because someone made you do it. I want people to admit when they slack or are wrong, I want a reason why things are late, a good one, most of all I just wish people would get that we are all in this world together. Our actions or in actions affect others. Don't be that missing puzzle piece that makes someone elses picture remain incomplete. Do your job and show some pride.