Stahlke Adoption

Today's Work

Concordia University
10 miles west of the Loop
We met with a staff member who notarized our letter for us.

Accurate Biometrics, Inc. (formerly Art's Investigations)
10 miles northwest of the Loop
I'm glad they changed their name--the former one sounded like something from a Chicago gangster movie! Jonathan and I were both fingerprinted electronically (better than the actual black ink at the Forest Park police dept. a year ago). Accurate Biometrics then sent our prints to the Illinois State Police headquarters in Joliet for a criminal background check.

Secretary of State (Illinois)
In the Loop near Marshall Fields (oops--Macy's!)
Jonathan waited while this office apostiled our letter. He then found a photocopy shop, since we make copies of EVERYTHING.

Kinko's
In the Loop near Macy's
I purchased passport photos. Getting these photos taken every ten years is in the same league as trying on bathing suits! I thought I looked older when my 1998 picture was taken. Now I realize how young I looked then compared to today's photo.

State Department Passport Office
In the Loop several blocks south of Macy's
They told me that it takes six weeks (!) to renew a passport, and we want to mail the entire dossier three weeks from now. So I paid the fee for expediting--$70 in addition to the regular $65 fee. The line at this office was estimated at five hours long, but luckily I could use the dropbox. The staff was very helpful.

Cook County Property Tax Office
In City Hall near Macy's
We didn't bring the pin number for our house, so we asked for it at this office.

Cook County Recorder of Deeds
In City Hall next door to the Property Tax Office
We ordered a certified copy of the deed to our house. They were amazingly fast.

River Forest Post Office
Not far from Concordia University
The seven options for mailing a letter to Ukraine range in price from $1.80 to $75.00. Within the $11.00 - $25.00 range, the estimated number of days is five to eight, with the $11.00 option faster than the $25.00 option! There must be something I don't know! and may wish I did! So I sent the letter for $11.00 and hope it gets there quickly.

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Then we returned to our other jobs--working as a prof at Concordia University and as a director of music at Trinity, as well as being the parents of five, and hopefully soon, six children.

posted by Stahlkes @ 9:31 PM