After writing the post last night, I felt a bit better and was able to go to bed. This morning I got up for work and long story short, realized that for $10 I could get a copy of my birth certificate from the Vital Records office in Atlanta. I am very fortunate to be living in the state where I was born. :-) Therefore, plans for errands were still on and I am so glad I took the entire day to deal with this!

1) Leave at 9am to go to Vital Records office – about 20 minutes from my house. Fill out application, pay $10, wait. Hear my name; take certified copy of the birth certificate and leave.

2) Go to the Courthouse (40 minutes from my apartment, in the opposite direction). Turn in marriage license and receive marriage certificate. Finally!

3) Go to DMV (20 minutes back towards my apartment). Wait in line. Change name on driver’s license; take a new picture (wasn’t expecting that!). Receive new license.

4) Eat lunch (time is about 1pm). Wonder where the Social Security office is – we just have an address. Decide to go to the library to Google map it. Get to the library and find out we have to wait 20 minutes for a computer. Go down the street half a mile to our church and borrow someone’s computer there.

5) Drive 20 minutes back, since the Social Security office was very close to the DMV. Take a number; wait over an hour. Finally see the person to find out that they don’t need my birth certificate (even though it very clearly says in the instructions that I had that they prefer to see the birth certificate as proof of age). I freak out, because I have nothing else official to show. She asks if we have the application for the marriage license, which we do happen to have. I don’t know why this is better because the application was hand-filled out by me and nothing was verified. But somehow in our government’s mind it is more accurate than a birth certificate. Go figure.

6) Finally at 4pm I am legally Ashley B. I should get my SS card in a few weeks. I’m excited to have one for the first time in my life. I am excited to have my birth certificate. I am excited to have my marriage certificate. I am excited to have a new driver’s license.

7) Paul and I look at one apartment to end the day, which was beautiful but priced out of our affordability range. Sigh, oh well. We decided we’d rather live somewhere not as nice and be able to pay more on our loans. Welcome to life and the choice and sacrifices!

That’s my day. :-) Back to work tomorrow – ugh, not looking forward to that! Now if I could only convince my body to go to sleep…