Apostille Adventure

Thanks to my awesome chip-in friends, Ralph and I drove to Topeka last Friday to get some documents apostilled. An apostille is a certification that documents need for international purposes. We could have done this by mail, but I needed these documents sent overseas immediately. So Ralph and I made the drive.

Can you imagine how horrified and sick I felt when the clerk at the secretary of state's office told me that my notary had mixed up a date on one of the forms? Honestly, I wanted to cry. But I couldn't. I wanted to fall apart, but I was cool and calm. Strange.

Ralph and I walked toward the exit, past the security guard and out the door. I was in a daze and didn't notice the multiple warning signs...watch your step...step down...then I gave the security guard something to chuckle about. Ha ha! 

Surprisingly, I had the presence of mind to bring the computer with me. I stuffed the computer in my purse and Ralph and I went for a little walk. It was 4pm. The secretary of state office closes at 5pm.

Around the corner and down Kansas Avenue we walked. Before we were halfway down the block we found a print shop! First thing - get that document printed. After attempting to run behind the counter, Ralph sat beautifully in a chair as I fired up the computer and transferred the file to a flash drive.

Once I had the document printed, I ask them if they knew where I could find a notary. Lo and behold, a notary was standing there! 

Ralph and I walked back to the state office for our apostilles. This time we used the accessible entrance, partly to avoid making eye contact with the security guard and partly to avoid the steps.

 

I took my sweet boy out for some fries at Spangles after that. He charmed the manager out of a free ice cream with M&M's on the side! After a little down time with my boy, we got mildly lost looking for the FedEx office. $94 later, my documents were out of my hands, on their way over the ocean, and we were on our way home!

Mission accomplished!