WHAT A DAY - What's in a NAME?

Today was not what I had planned.  BOY OH BOY it was NOT!!!!

One day before my birthday I decided to get the driver's license renewed and a whole host of other little errands along with two apartment viewings.  Got up at 5 am, showered, did my hair (had a great hair day) and got make up on for the dreaded picture.  Had a great breakfast in the hotel and watched the fog roll in.  Ready for the day I left the hotel and we got rained on - Oh Yeah - there goes the hair do...

Driving to the DMV and grabbing my book and paperwork.  I was faced with tons of new technology that was to help I guess but just took longer.  I waited my turn - almost an hour and then it was my turn.  The lady was so friendly and we were chatting away until her face sank.  OH DEAR, she kept saying over and over.  I was now having my heart in the throat - WHAT is OH DEAR???  They are saying my Social Security Number does not belong to me... WHAT THE HECK????

So after trying to figure out why in 33 years, 4 houses, 2 businesses and 2 children I am informed that all this time I am not Grace C Gerber and according to the Social Security Department and every other government agency I am not and have never been Grace C Gerber.  So as I am trying to process all this I am told my little errand has just blown up in my face.....

I am now told to go and get this all fixed if I wish to have a driver's license.  So to the library I went, turned in my books, picked up my new ones and got driving directions to the Social Security Office.  Yep, change of plans big time.  I kept hearing Curt (my late husband) giggling and saying "Remember all that talk about what to change your name to - well GOT YOU"  We did go round and round and finally I just said what the heck "What's in a name?"  Yes, I changed my name and filled out the paperwork right after we got married because we were buying a house and needed all the paperwork correct.

Got to the hotel room, called and canceled all appointments and lucky for me I had the paperwork - Both my and my husbands birth certificate, his death certificate, our marriage licence, proof of my identity the said drivers license..  I almost put them in the storage unit but last week for some reason I talked myself out of it.  Back in the truck and off through all new cone zones of highway work to get to this new office in  HELL...

I was greeted with another tower of technology that a human stood next to and did the whole thing anyway (why can't we go back to tickets - it is faster) which I was given a ticket D76..  What the heck does that mean??  I took a seat and prayed it would not be that long because I was sitting in a very crowded room of folks coughing and look like they where ready to kick the bucket at any moment. Yes, for this gal it is not waiting it is waiting with strangers.  I was having to listen to one guy stories of hiding cheese in a sock taped to his leg in jail.  Another lady was talking about how she was going to sue EVERYONE because her doctor says she is healed and she does not think that is right.  So two more rounds of Rescue Remedy and more prayers.  I finished my book that should tell you how long the wait was - 4 hours and  counting and I really had to pee but there is no way I was doing that here.  Finally D76 was called but that was after letters A, Z, E, B and others which made no logic pattern.  There is no point in even thinking about who came up with this system.

I grabbed my bag, papers, purse and book and raced to the window before they changed their mind.  The lady was so kind but offered no answers as to WHY this has not been caught all these 33 years and What do we need to fix this.  I gave her all the paperwork and she went to typing and typing and typing and typing - then a piece of paper was spit out that said in two weeks I would get a new Social Security Card with my New Name.  I don't know why but when she said my NEW NAME - I almost cried.  I have been Grace C Gerber for 33 years and I felt so much sadness.  I can't even put into words WHY it was just so deep and hurtful.  I thanked her for her assistance and left the building.  I went to my truck and got in and just tried to catch my breath before driving.  I turned on the truck and on the radio was "She's A Brick House" - for those who don't remember that song seems to turn up in my life when I feel my life has hit a wall. Last time was when I was driving back to my farm and not knowing if it was still there or if all my animals were dead.  It also played when I packed the last box and put it in the trailer as I left the farm for good.  It was playing in my head as Conrad and I hit the Highway to head back to Colorado.   I listened and said over and over "Grace you are you"  "Grace you have stood alone for almost all of your life - stand up"  I had to gather myself and head back to the hotel... I turned up the volume and headed out.

I have to wait 24 hours before attempting to get my driver's license which was not what I had planned for my birthday but I guess I really had not planned anything special anyway.  Nick is in the mountains doing a  big race show and Conrad is pulling double shifts along with school work - so this gal was going to be on her own anyway so I guess the DMV is just as good as place as any.

So soon this gal will be  Grace C Gerber - good to know - hope my dear husband is looking down and laughing because I sure wasn't...