Good grief!!!

At some point during the middle of the night, when sane people sleep, I rolled over and instantly woke up remembering that I have never gotten the boys their social security number. And, in order to file our taxes, I NEED this!!! I had a million other things on my list to do today, but instead we trekked to town to our SS office. I wait in line, where some creepy guy took it upon himself to sit down between my boys and start chatting away with them. Molly would have run screaming, Noah would have freaked and been instantly by my side, and Addie, well I don't think he would have messed with Addie. But the boys... well, they are used to strangers. Heck, they went willingly with a bunch of strangers whom they knew for little over an hour, who came to their orphanage and said "we are your new family, lets go". How do you teach "stranger" when EVERYONE is a stranger and that it is ok to not be polite and answer questions being asked of you from someone you don't know??? I am trying to figure that out.

Anyhow, we get called up to the window (the boys are now sitting at my feet) and I tell the lady that I am there to get each of my boys a social security number. She asks me for ID for them. I pull out my case- and ask "which" document she wants- ET birth cert, ET passport, or adoption decree. She then says that they aren't allowed a social security number without a US birth certificate. I pointed out that they don't have one, they were born in ET, adopted by us, and only here for a short period of time. Nope, can't be done. WHAT????? It can be done- Molly has a social security number without a US birth certificate. Luckily, I had gone on the website for social security and had made a copy of how to get a social security number for a child foreignely adopted (been there, done that before). She thanks me for my help and informs me I should have them in hand in less than 2 weeks. Good grief!