Social Security

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Shy's Birth Certificate arrived yesterday in the mail. We were really excited to see it, and of course we told Shy about it and showed it to her.

She wanted to know what store she could spend it at.........(hey its a certificate!! She really is a special child)

Anyway, we had been awaiting that so we could go to the Social Security Office and get her a new Social Security number with her new name. We were advised to get a different number by the case worker at DHHS so that her parents would not know her number. They also told us we needed to have the birth certificate to do that.

What they didn't tell us was that we also needed to have the adoption certificate with the seal. (we have it, but I didn't bring it). I also had to have an ID with me (I always do, so that was good). We needed to have a certain form filled out (they gave it to me, so I guess I will be filling it out later). and I need to have a Medicaid Card with her old name on it. Well, we only have little printed papers, as they don't issue cards to foster children. She will get a card issued soon, but that will have her new name on it. I hope we are able to find the old one with her old name. Otherwise, I am not sure what will happen.

I am hopeful that whatever I have will be suffcient. So tomorrow I will be going back to the Social Security Office to talk with the nice lady behind the window and hopefully I will have everything I need and the form filled out correctly.

The above is for all of you who are going through the process and want the information about how it works. The following is for everyone else who may just be looking for something to read.

In order to get into the Federal Building where the Social Security Office is located you have to go through a metal detector and there were three (3) guards there for the building to make sure you didn't set off any alarms. I was asked if I had a belt on. When I said I did, the guard told me I might have to take it off. I told him there was no way I was taking off my belt and then asked him if he worked for TSA because he was obviously at the wrong location. The airport is about 5 miles from the Federal Building. He assured me they were friendlier than TSA. That scared me.

I didn't care how friendly he was, I wasn't taking off my belt. Thankfully, the metal detector didn't go off and I was able to continue on to the Social Security Office to tend to my business with my pants still securely fastened around my waist.

Apparently however, those guards are not good enough for the Social Security Office. They have to have their own guard. Thank Goodness!!! You can't be too safe these days. All those retirees around that office are liable to start a riot at any moment. I was ahppy because I knew if one of the octogenerians were to attempt to cut in line in front of me, I was sure he would handle it.

So, when you walk into that office there is the Social Security guard sitting there. There is also a machine that asks you what you want, you push a button, and it prints out a number for you (just like at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, but not quite as high-tech), but in case you can't read it or figure out how to use it, the guard tells you exactly what to do. (I guess since someone else already ran us through a scanner, he doesnt have to worry about checking us out or actually guarding the office. (I wonder how many credits he gets toward social security for that job?).

Anyway, after a few minutes I found out the real reason that there is a guard there. There are signs all over the room that say "Turn off cell phones". It really was like flying!! Metal Detectors, no cell phones. I wonder if other electronic devices would have created a problem for the people in the office. Maybe it was just for the guard. He is rather old, and maybe he has trouble navigating the hallways of the building if there are too many cell phones in use.

Unfortunately, There was one lady who didn't turn off her cell phone.

That is when the guard sprang into action!!!!!!!!!!!

"Excuse me Ma'am, you need to turn off that cell phone."

Whew, that was a close one. He handled it so well, the woman turned off her cell phone. Thankfully, there was no need for a taser or handcuffs. (I kept my phone on vibrate the whole time I was there, but don't tell anyone)

Needless to say, I can't begin to tell you how excited I am I have to go back there tomorrow. I will be sure to report back.
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