Drumroll, please!!

I renewed my driver's license.

That expired last June.

Yup, I've been driving around illegally for about 9 months. I just couldn't stand the thought of facing the DMV with my son in tow. I could barely stand the thought before I had a baby. Just imagining the lines, the paperwork, the stinky crazy people (there's ALWAYS a stinky, crazy person when I've gone in the past, and they always find me!) was almost enough to make start taking public transportation. Almost.

So I called the DMV to make an appointment. I'd heard you could do that and thought that it was a fabulous idea..no? Well apparently appointments can only be made online. Not over the phone. But the website was down and the lady on the phone said I'd have to come in to the DMV to make an appointment...okaaaaay...she did remind me that in order to renew my license I'd need to bring with me two pieces of mail proving my current address, and identification in the form of social security card, birth certificate and/or passport. Oh, and my first born child..or an arm or leg.

Of that list, the firstborn child was looking like the easiest option, and here's why: I didn't legally change my name until two weeks before Aiden was born. I don't know why, I just didn't. So, my social security card has my married name, but every other piece of identification has my maiden name. No two papers matched up, AND I realized, while looking for all this stuff (no, it was not all in a secure place, like it should've been..) my birth certificate is missing...AGAIN. I had to apply for a new one when I got my passport..I'm thinking maybe they didn't send it back to me with my passport...hmmm...looks like I'll be standing in line for that, too. (btw, it is INCREDIBLY easy to apply for a birth certificate in Utah..which makes me wonder why it's so freakin hard to get a driver's license...?)

So. I brought my Social Security Card to prove I'm me, my marriage license to prove that the last name on my SS card is actually correct, and my passport (which I'll now have to change to match my new driver's license) as my second form of ID. Oh, and two Dr's bills, with my current address. Yeesh.

I put all of the above paperwork in a large envelope, for safe keeping, loaded Aiden and I into the car, and set off for Hell, er, the DMV.

Got to the DMV (w/o screaming, might I add...a major coup!) The DMV I selected is brand new & nice & shiny (even has drive through renewal for vehicle registration..nice!) It is also at the point of the mountain where it is nice and WINDY!

Right.

So, got there, grabbed all my crap out of the front seat & went to get Aiden out of the back...and a gust of wind hits me...

Envelope blown away! Contents scattered across the parking lot! My entire identity is disappearing right before my eyes!

I'm sure quite a few strangers got a major laugh at my expense that day, as they watched me frantically scurrying across the parking lot trying to stomp on my SS card, marriage certificate, etc. before they were lost to the hands of Mother Nature (I was more worried about who would find them, and what they would do with them..)

Luckily, a kinda guy took pity on me & helped me chase down everything. Luckily, I had not gotten Aiden out of the car yet..'cause I can just see how awesome that would've been!

After I had retrieved all my papers, I sat in the front seat of the Jeep, regaining my sanity & considering not even going in to face the DMV demon after my ordeal. Then Aiden began to scream & I figured 'eh, I've come this far, might as well finish the job!'

So I marched in to the DMV, filled out my paperwork to apply for a license...aaaaand...was out in 20 minutes!

It was a breeze! (Pun intended!)