Hoops

The final countdown begins: Kevin leaves for Washington DC in a week! He'll be driving our car and all our stuff* out with him. Penny and I will live out of suitcases for a month or so until we join him. I can hardly wait.

I've been busy (or at least preoccupied) with my student teaching, so I haven't really done much to prepare for this major lifestyle overhaul. Today, though, we finally decided that it would be prudent to have a legal license plate for the cross-country trek next week. This meant battling the Los Alamos DMV. For the third time.

The first time I went in, there was a sign on the door saying they were understaffed that day and couldn't do VIN inspections. The guy also thought they'd be understaffed for the next indefinite future. They gave me a list of documents and crap I'd need to bring in order to register our vehicle. Joy.

After going through the list of possible documents, I realized that as an unemployed (well, unpaid), uninsured hobo living off my parents for free, there was very little (zero) documentation of my New Mexico residency. And apparently they don't accept library cards or just-opened-that-day bank accounts. I feel for illegal immigrants! I worked at the YMCA for a week this summer-- just long enough to get a paycheck. But that was more than 90 days ago, so it was invalid.

I eventually had to sign an affidavit proving my residence and have the ward membership clerk at church write a letter attesting to my street address.

Armed with all this documentation, plus car title, insurance info, driver's license, etc, etc, etc, I headed to the DMV today during my prep period.

They were understaffed.

Not making eye contact with the guy behind the desk because I was sure I would yell-- or cry-- I asked him if they were planning on being understaffed next week or when they were planning on becoming staffed enough for VIN inspections. He ignored my apparent lack of social skills and eventually told me I could go to the police station and have them conduct one.

I drove over there, and right when I mentioned the DMV, the lady at the desk got my name and phone number, which she would email to a certain officer who would call me to set up an appointment. Seriously?! I asked how long it would take and if there was any possibility I could do it NOW. Well, yes, she informs me. It's actually the guys over at the animal shelter who do VIN inspections, so I could head over there and talk to them directly.

So yes, I did eventually get my VIN number inspected. I did return to the DMV and get a New Mexico license plate. You only need one in NM, did you know that?

So now Kevin and our car are completely ready for the long trip across the US. Well, they're legal. Well, after we actually put on the new license plate. But the hoops have been jumped through, and it was no small feat. I treated myself by eating lunch and helping kids write essays.

*We drove to New Mexico in May with only what we could fit in a car, leaving enough space for a baby, car seat, two cats, and a litter box. Translation: we're already living out of suitcases and have been for 7 months.