Reading the fine print...

Have you ever read the book, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie?" If not, let me give you the feeling behind the book.  If you give do one thing, there is a chain of events that will always follow.  Today, we worked backwards.  I knew the end result: visiting CA next week. But for that to happen I need to get Glen on an airplane.  But for that to happen I have to have his birth certificate (so I've been told). But to have that, I need to go get it from the office in Phoenix.

A few weeks ago I printed the application to get Glen's birth certificate, filled it out, and had it ready for the day I got brave enough to go to Phoenix and get it.  Today was that day! A few days ago I spent quite a bit of time with Ammon and Ivy looking up the address and figuring the best way to get there.  The county recorders office is downtown, just a few blocks from the ligthrail station, so I decided that Glen and I would make an adventure of it.  I would pack us up with lunch and set off after Glen's first morning nap, around 10 am.

During Glen's nap I was re-reading the application to make sure I filled everything out.  The directions at the top refer to mailing in the application (which I hear takes a long time), ordering over the internet (which costs extra money), or going down in person and picking it up.  I read the "In Person" address and didn't recognize it as the one I had planned to go to.  (The fine print.)

Thank you Google! I was planning on going to a completely different building in a completely different part of town.  I got directions to the new place, which was no where near the light rail, so I decided to drive.

There was a nice parking lot for the building, which was mostly full, but someone pulled out of a nice spot just as I was getting there, so I took it!  We walked in the building and the room for Birth/Death certificates was clearly marked and easy to find.  I walked in to a room with three rows of chairs on one side and two rows of chairs on another side. 

The last number they had helped was B009.  I took a number. B010. Yep! Next! All of the chairs were empty except for the few occupied by those who came with the person being helped.

I was out of there in about 10 minutes! It was great!

I then went and got my oil changed at the dealership...not as good of an experience, but I got it done, even though I had to wait FOREVER in their "Quick Service" area...I hate dealerships!!