Paperchasing at its finest

Ok so I bit the bullet and decided to go downtown and get all my documents certified and authenticated today. I am still missing my I-171H but I thought I would get these done to keep myself sane. I'm not so sure the sane part is working....

I take the boys with me and we get to the SOS and get our stuff certified without any issues. We then go to get them photocopied and then drive to the Consulate. We park at a meter (thanks Debra) two blocks away. We get to the Consulate and I get ready to stand in line and then read the sign. I had brought a prepaid Fedex mailer with me so they could just send me my docs instead of me or Dave having to come back downtown. Anyway the sign says that you MUST pay with a money order or certified check in order to do this. I have cash. I ask the security guard where I can get a money order. He tells me and off we walk two blocks to get the money order.

We get back, I wait my turn in line. When the lady goes through my documents she says "10 documents right?" I respond "No, there are 11." She recounts and then asks me to count them. I realize I have left one document in the car. We get out of line and then walk 2 blocks back to the car to get that other document. I am praying it is there otherwise I have left it in the copy machine at Kinkos about 1 1/2 miles away. We get to the car and thank goodness its there. We go back to the Consulate and the doorman is now laughing because I have been back twice before this. This time everything is a go and we are on our way. We walked 12 blocks (two blocks at a time) to get all I needed. Boy do I have a story for Diana...

Now back to waiting...this time for my authenticated documents and of course for that blasted I-171H. Trust me the world will know when I get that final document.

Oh yeah, I forgot to say that Bailey and Matthew were INCREDIBLE throughout the whole morning. They will be rewarded tomorrow. Not sure how but stay tuned...