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Last week I made a trip into the city to get our adoption documents Apostilled. This is the last step in the dossier process or so I thought.

I get to the place and wait in line. When it's my turn I hand in the documents and tell the person what I need done. She looks at all the documents (33 in total) and tells me they cannot be Apostilled because they are missing the county clerks stamp. I said "missing what?"
She proceeded to tell me that in order for the documents to be Apostilled the county clerks office has to "authenticate" the notarys signature. I walk out of there not a happy camper. No one ever mentioned that after I get all the documents notarized I had to get them authenticated from the county clerks office.

I get home and call the homestudy agency. I explain the situation and I am told "oh yeah" in New York State the documents need to be authenticated by the county clerks office before they can be Apostilled (meaning the county clerk needs to verify the notary name/signature on the documents depending on where they are qualified). I realized where this conversation was leading and I said "do you mean that I have to split up the documents based on where the notarys are qualified". I was told yes. This meant that "x" amount of documents had to be sent to county "A", "x" amount to county "B" and "x" amount to county "C" for the authentication process. I was not happy because I knew this was going to set us back for at least a week or two.

Based on this new bit of information I start calling the various county clerk office's for information on what I need to do. I had to fedex 2 packages with prepaid envelopes enclosed so they can mail them back to me quickly. I got those back within 4 days. The last group of documents I was able to do locally.

On Tuesday I go to the county clerks office where I live. I had a total of 6 documents with me. 5 documents from notary "A" and one document from notary "B". The documents from notary "A" were fine but the one from notary "B" was an issue. Seems the name/signature of notary "B" that is on file with the county clerks office was not signed the same way on the document. I ended up getting only 5 of the 6 documents authenticated and had to go back to the bank where the 6th document was done.

I get to the bank and ask for the person that notarized the document. I was told she called in sick and they asked me what I needed done. I explained the situation to them and they told me that is how she signs her name and that is what is on her notary stamp. I tell them that the way the person signed her name is not the way the county clerks office has it on file. We go back and forth for a few minutes and I then ask if someone else can redo the letter for me and notarize it. I am told I can go to the branch across the street and someone there can do it for me. All righty!! I go across the street and explain what I need done. At first they were annoyed that the other bank told me to come to this branch but in the end they did it for me. It pays to kiss some *** once in a while even though I hate doing it!!!

So with new document in hand I head back to the county clerks office this morning since I was too fed up to go back yesterday. I get to the CCO and tell the person I need a document authenticated. They proceed to look up the file of the new notary and come back and tell me the notary is missing a letter. I go "you're kidding right?". The clerk told me the notary didn't include her middle initial on the document. Here we go again!!!!!!!!

I go back to the bank and as soon as I walked thru the door the person who notarized the document for me yesterday asked was it ok? I said NO!!! They wouldn't do what I asked for because your middle initial is missing on the document. She tells me "but my stamp does not have my middle initial on it". I told her she needs to add her middle initial because that's what they have on file. She was somewhat hesitant in believing in what I was saying so she went looking for her notary card and sure enough she had signed it with her middle initial.
I felt like saying " TOLD YOU SO, you BIATCH!!!!
She adds her middle initial and I head back to the CCO.

I get there and a different person is there. I told her what I needed done and that I was there earlier in the day. She looks at the document and with a snippy attitude she asks
"what is this document"? I explain what it is (mind you the guy in the morning didn't ask what the document is). She goes I don't think this will be accepted since the notary added in her middle initial at the top of her name between her first and last name. I should be happy at least that she went to check with her supervisor and it turns out it was acceptable. I went to another floor to pay for the authentication and came back to get the finished document. I said thank you and under my breath I called her an *******!!!

I now have all the documents authenticated from the various county clerk offices. Tomorrow I will head back into the city and try again to get the docuemnts Apostilled.

Stay tuned for tomorrows adventure!!!!