I think the title of this post could also serve as a good title for the last 5 days (as well as the next 5). I have been trying to acquire Chavo's and my marriage license, and let's just say, it's not going according to plan. Consider this blog a fair warning to NOT wait until the last minute to get your marriage license...
So, on Thursday of last week, I go bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to the courthouse for what I like to call "Blissful Ignorance and Problem Numero Uno". I was told that we needed both mine and Chavo's birth certificates. Queue initial panic. I have my birth certificate, but Chavo's is still in Guatemala with his uncle, who cannot bring it until 2 days before the wedding. Also a problem because the waiting period for the license is 3 days. Oops.
Problem Numero Uno got solved after we begged Chavo's uncle to FedEx the certificate for us, which he did. He also scanned the certificate and sent us a copy to our emails. Queue Problem Numero Dos: Chavo's birth certificate is in Spanish. Why I didn't consider this from the get-go, I haven't the foggiest. But either we need to get a waiver for the birth certificate (which we should have done first), or we need to get it translated by a "certified translator". My question is: who gets certified?!?! No one! No one gets certified!!! Soooo, we got the waiver. Super duper!
On the second trip to the courthouse, I was told that Chavo and I both had to be present to pick up the marriage license (which is false), so I went up there to get the birth certificate waiver. Turns out, the waiver stays at the courthouse and we're supposed to do everything all at once. Oh, and I don't have to have Chavo there with me to get the license. But I don't have my paperwork. So I drive about Mach 2 to my parents' house to get the rest of the paperwork (because the Deputy Clerk INSISTS that I get here to give her enough time to leave by 4:30 because she's ready to go home). I gather all the paperwork quickly and go back to the courthouse for Trip #3.
Now, for a little backstory, Chavo and I are getting a Covenant Marriage. My church does not do any other kind. It requires pre-marital counseling and just makes it difficult to get a divorce. Long story short, this stuff is serious.
For Trip #3, the Deputy Clerk states that she thinks the paperwork for Covenant Marriage may only be valid for 30 days (it was signed March 20), but she wasn't sure. She called 3 district judges (one wouldn't even make a call on it because it was covenant marriage, ugh), the Clerk of Court, and they ATTORNEY GENERAL!!! No one knew anything, not even the Attorney fricken' General. I left on Friday at 5 pm, still Licenseless.
At that point, I called the Chavo and asked him how he would feel if we just lived in sin for a while. He wouldn't go for it. ;)
On Monday, I was told that we do have to re-do the paperwork, but Chavo and I have to both be present for that. And as everyone knows, Chavo and I are in a long-distance engagement. He's going to be here in about 10 minutes. Mom and I went back to the courthouse before we got the call (Trip #4) and the Deputy Clerk was sick of seeing my face, so she sent us home. Whatevsies.
It is now Tuesday. We should be filling out the new paperwork tomorrow, and then HOPEFULLY we can get our license, so Chavo and I can be legally married.
I have a sneaking suspicion this is God checking my patience levels because honestly, it has gotten too absurd to not have a higher power behind it. What ridiculousness.
Anyway, I'll try to let everyone here know if Chavo and I are going to be legally married at the wedding. Wish us luck, pray for us, we hope to not have a Problem Numero Cuatro, or a Trip #6 to the courthouse.
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