The Passport Drama or DOS Form DS-3053

I remember reading Catherine's blog and the tale of the lost passport, little did I know how much trouble we would have getting a passport for T.
Last month the 3 of us went to the post office here, with all the forms filled out, required documents in hand, ready to wait in the long lines and get our passports. The lady in the passport office must have had some pms Wheaties for breakfast because she was on a nasty roll. After a few mundane questions Rich and I passed and the papers were complete. T was next. We had the court papers showing we have primary custody, the official birth certificate, the certified name change documents so we were ready, right? Wrong!! Now she is really unhappy, we need 2 parents to sign form DS-3053 even though at the top of the form it states that this form is for a minor under age 16. Ummm she is 16 almost 17. After questioning that she said she had 3 options, bring the parents in ( hard to do since we don't know where they are), have them sign form DS-3053 (again hard to do, same reason) or her best solution is to wait until she is 18. Now that is the response that made me happy. We leave, call the Dep. of State, they say she is wrong, I can sign as custodial parent, etc. so now we are loaded for bear, the Dep. of State gave us the rules. Back we go, once again she was thrilled to see us. We tell her what the DOS said and here is his number, she slams out of the office and is gone about 15 minutes. She comes back and said, nope, too bad I talked to so and so and we are right you and the DOS are wrong. Now the PO supervisor comes in and the same story. All right I give up, she is meaner than I am and I heard that going postal in the post office is not cool, so we leave. My friend Janet tells us to go to the PO in another town. Hope springs again.... T and I go there the following Monday, again stand in line for about 30 minutes, undaunted, we will get it this time. This passport officer is 100% helpful and things go so smoothly. We paid the $100+, he gives us the receipt of mailing, puts all the documents in the envelope and we are done! Well, now I get a letter from the DOS stating once again we need to fill out form DS-3053. Once again she is 16, by now 17 and we don't have to. I call the DOS and this nice person told me what to write back to the DOS and he said it would even help if I mention I sent a copy of this to our Congressman. I did and today, T can leave the country!! Going Postal has an entire new meaning around our house. I would love to go back to this PO and wave that little passport in her face, but then my mail would probably end up in the trash for the next 6 months!