I was aware the nightmare that attaining official papers can be before going to the passport office. So I did a first practice run before the real thing. I was told I had to have everyone present, including my oldest 5 year old in a fill length leg cast.
2nd visit to Passport Office - both kids and Ema in car outside, waiting:
I hand in all my papers.
[Starts handing everything back to me] You need an original birth certificate. This one is a copy. 'Oh yeah, the new "original" I'd ordered.' "Here." It had taken me 4 1/2 years to finally get an accurate "original" but that's another post.
[Reluctantly, she peruses more papers]. "What is this... Takoda?"
"He's my son."
[Starts handing everything back to me] "You cannot do this without both parents present."
"We are both present. She's in the car with the boys."
"She? Where's the father?"
"His other mother is in the car with him. He's not in here right now because he has a full length leg caste on right now. Your coworker said you wouldn't mind going out to him so he wouldn't have to climb in and out of his wheelchair just to be looked at."
"There's no father?"
"No, there's not."
[Starts handing everything back to me] "Can't do it without the father here."
"Not there is mo father here. There is no father. He has two mothers. We're legally married and have been since before he was born. Look, see? Here is the marruage livence and we're both on the birth certificate."
"It says 'father.'"
"It says 'father/parent.'"
"Ahhh..."
Only from here on in, she gave me the benefit of the doubt and stopped handing me back all my papers.
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