hmmm

This is not a joke. Makes you think though, huh? This is REALLY the sign leading to the marriage license office. Before getting there we passed, and I am NOT lying about this, the domestic abuse office, child welfare and neglect office and then of course our hallway which, well, you can see for yourself.

I will admit that it wasn't as horrific as I expected. I think we went in with a positive attitude so it all went as smooth as humanly possible. Dealing with the D.C. government, if you never have before, is an unexplained phenomenon. Some like to call it a nightmare. Think the DMV times a million.

The buildings are the most depressing, sad, anciently decorated, dark, dank places on earth. The people that work there don't want to be there and neither do the people there for their own business and you can barely blame them. They make every step as difficult as possible on you so that your attitude and theirs are so foul by the time all of your business is done that you feel almost ill. Within the same building you can be charged by check or money order only but in one office and then in the next office they accept cash only...weird!
And instead of moving from line to line, you have to move from building to building and kind of figure it out on your own.

TSO made a comment at the court house that was so awful but so fitting...He said that he just wanted to run around to all of the alleged criminals, or whatever they were and scream, "GUILTY! GUILTY!". I mean, you have never seen more guilty looking human beings in your life. Women wearing Washington Wizard's (sleeveless) jersey's - I'm assuming going into a court room looking like that. Super thugy looking dudes. Slimy looking lawyers. Oh and you can't forget the fully armed floods of D.C. police officers. I mean, this is the place we see on our news on a daily basis talking about the latest local criminal to get sentenced. It's not a happy place.

The ONLY great thing was that we were going to get our marriage license. It might be the happiest office in all of D.C. No one looked at us as if they wanted to kill us. The women were all friendly and congratulated us. I think 3 whole people asked us if we had been helped yet. It was amazing. I have never seen anything like it. The ladies agreed. They don't generally get the disgruntled customers which in turn makes them pretty cheerful themselves...The whole situation was a bit surreal.

Anyway, I"m feeling better. The week has gotten better and I will live. I can not believe that we are getting married in 9 DAYS! crazy...