Mining Another Gem: Just another day in Minnesota

Spring is here! Okay, well, Minnesota's version of that... which consists of rain, sleet and snow in the forecast ahead. It's a good thing those Norwegians aren't shy to be out in the elements.

Today's field trip was for Emil's passport. The caravan started in Maple Grove, swinging by the house on Aquila, where we switched drivers to get to the downtown Minneapolis location of passport services. Yesterday we were able to secure Emil's certified birth certificate so today was about getting an "instant" passport. Yeah, well, we should have known better. However, it all worked out in the end.

The office was a tad full of men in security uniforms bearing guns in their hip holster. A tad bit of over-cautiousness? Really. So we arrived 30 minutes early and get in line at Window #1. Gave our confirmation number and began filling out the passport application. Back in line and given our next part of waiting for A014 to be called. I let the parents go to the window and waited. Sensing things might be taking a turn, I stepped up and heard them questioning the validity (or who knows what) of the surrogacy and reason for passport. We discovered that we needed to provide the Certified Order for all things legal in this transaction. At one point she asked if I could provide my medical records as proof. Um, no. I think not.

We now have two people helping us at the window, a supervisor and the first guy. She explains that they can get the ball rolling but will need to see the Certified Order (of parentage). Then fine then. The easiest and fastest way to get this done is to drive a couple of blocks and pay for another copy (remember, raining cats and dogs and puddles that could swallow up a small car). Another 30 minutes later and Tommy is back in line to provide the proof. Somewhere in the morning's discussion we hear that this is "new and setting precedent" as of yesterday. Just our luck.

Oh, and this "instant" passport thing downtown... not so much. Now we are to come back another day to pick it up. Thankfully we didn't wait to go downtown and start the process. JP will provide this service on Thursday during his drive back from work. We are happy that they were pleasant and accommodating at the window and will also allow someone else to pick it up this week!

Emil... he slept through it all. There were also signs everywhere that cell phones and cameras weren't allowed (maybe that's why the armed guards?)... but I don't listen well to rules such as that. We needed some proof of our application for Emil's citizenship after all.

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Part Two of our morning consisted of refueling by driving through the drive-thru of Golden Arches (mmm, burgers, chips & cokes)... and coming back for a bit to eat at the kitchen table.