A fine example of penmanship...

So D has started preschool and is beginning to understand the concept of "writing" and she has begun to enjoy using pens and writing. The other day she was sitting at my desk writing on some scrap paper with a pen while I was working on my lecture for my college class. At some point she must have run out of paper and rather than ask for more she grabbed some from my file box and used that. At about the same time she decided that pens were boring and she switched from a pen to a Sharpie.

This is the result

Now my readers who are parents of internationally adopted kids probably already recognize what D used for paper- but for those of you who haven't had the joys of dealing with USCIS-

this is K's CERTIFICATE OF CITIZENSHIP.

D had outlined K's picture several times. I was able to get a lot of the Sharpie off (is there anything a Mr Clean Magic Eraser can't clean) but it began to rub of the certificate ink, too.

We were already annoyed that we had to pay $420 to get the thing in the first place (since D's was free) and if we have to replace it that will be another $380. B is going to take it to the social security office soon to see if they will accept it to change her status in their system. If they take it, then we will try to see if the Passport folks will accept it. If they do, then I go to the bank to deposit the certificate into the safety deposit box. If they don't then I go to the bank to withdraw $380.

Either way, it will be a long time before anyone finds the Sharpies again.