Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Rob returned this week to the local Social Security office in downtown Tucson. He was armed with all sorts of official documents: formal request for a Social Security Card, birth certificate, certified adoption decree, passports, and the formerly missing proof of citizenship. Rob walked in early on a Wednesday morning, prepared for success in our quest for Romi's ever elusive Social Security Card. And there was good news to be had: Rob only had to wait 45 minutes to be waited on by Mr. Clark, who decreed that all of the paperwork was--at long last--in perfect order. The goal was completely within Rob's grasp when Mr. Clark then asked to see our son, who was at that exact moment having a perfectly wonderful time at preschool.

It turns out that no one ever indicated that the minor actually had to be present. Our good luck continued, however, and all Rob had to do was to present Romi to Mr. Clark that same day, and he wouldn't even have to wait in line. Now all we have to do is wait for them to verify his citizenship and the card should arrive in the mail within four weeks. Here's to hoping....

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back....

Adopting a baby always requires an ungodly amount of paperwork, and an international adoption all the more so. Paperwork and forms and waiting have been a constant part of our lives since we started this process. However, we have been particularly anxious about receiving Romi's birth certificate (an anxiety that you may be able to relate to but only Heather truly understands). The birth certificate is the key to so many things. On a strictly practical level, it's the easiest way to get Romi on a plane. It allows us to apply for his social security card, which will in turn enable us to claim him as a dependent on our taxes. We need it to issue him a passport. On a strictly emotional level, there's just something about seeing an official United States government document listing us and only us as the true, forever, natural, legal mother and father to Romi Amiel Gludt.

We've been waiting and waiting for the right forms since May 11, 2009, when we formalized his re-adoption in the States. Of course, the promised document never arrived in the mail. We proceeded to establish a phone relationship with the Office of Vital Records in Phoenix. We mailed forms, called, waited, called some more, made no progress and, eventually, in an act of aggravation and desperation, Rob strapped Romi into his car seat and drove the two hours up to the state capital to procure the longed-for document. It worked!

Our next goal: the Social Security Card. Armed with completely filled out downloaded documents from the website, an official certified copy of his adoption and the golden birth certificiate, Rob headed to downtown Tucson and waited the two and a half hours for his turn, only to be told that we also needed to present proof of citizenship, a form sitting in a box at home that no one ever told us we needed. So Rob will try yet again this week to attain more elusive documents, although we are concerned that all of Romi's documentation is in his English name and his proof of citizenship is in his Taiwanese name.

And so on and on it goes...one step forward and two steps back!