Passport watch 2010....

My passport is on it's way!!! After the ordeal of getting it I can't wait to see how awful my picture looks!

Fundraising underway

We're "smack dab"...and yes I used that phrase...in the middle of fundraising. Each of the people going need $1500 to cover the cost of the trip...plus money is still needed for building materials for the houses that will be built once we are there. So far my fundraising has consisted of sending a ton of letters out to local churches known for their involvement in missions and emails begging my friends to help. I sincerely appreciate everyone that has given, your donation is helping more than you know! If you would like to donate money or know of any cool and easy fundraising ideas pleaaaaase let me know!!

The passport experience

...and what an experience it was. I don't have a passport. In order to go to Honduras, I need a passport. I go to Honduras in a little under 2 months so I need a passport like yesterday. Last week I decided it was time to go and apply for my passport. I've known I needed to do this for quite some time but ran into several issues along the way. The first being locating my birth certificate. My mother keeps everyone's personal records of this kind is a drawer somewhere at their house. So after pleading for my birth certificate for at least 2 months, I finally was able to pry it from her Monday. The plan was to then take the newly acquired birth certificate straight to the passport office the next day after work. After leaving work at 3:50 (5 minutes later than normal) I arrive at the post office to apply for my passport at 4:04 PM. Well, shocker--the passport office closes at 4:00 PM! *sigh* I will just have to come back tomorrow...after finding someone to work my after school duty the next day, I arrive at the post office this time at 3:30. Plenty of time right? Wrong! I'm greeted with a sign on the front door that states "Passport Office closed today due to there not being a Passport officer on duty. Sorry for any inconvenience" Are you, sign? I wondered Are you really sorry?? I then call Jason to ask if he knew of any other passport office in the area. Of course there's another one, downtown. But will I make it there before 4? Not a chance. So I sit in my car, feeling a little defeated and wondering how much it's going to cost me to get a passport rushed. Suddenly, I decided out of nowhere (or divine intervention) to continue my search online (thank you iphone) for other passport offices. Alas, I found one in North Little Rock that was open until 8 PM!!! Sweet!! That gave me plenty of time to get a money order for my fees and make it to the office. Enough time? Yes. Without incident? Of course not! I make it to North Little Rock, ahead of an approaching thunderstorm. I go in to get a money order. After waiting for what seems like a lifetime, and meeting a cast of interesting people, I finally get my money order and head towards the door...right as the heavens open and decide to dump a lake full of water below! Do I have an umbrella?? Nah, that would ruin the awful week, right? So, I must make a mad dash to my car in the sudden monsoon. I got soaked, naturally...from head to toe! But it doesn't matter...I'm 2 minutes away from the passport office. I make it. Soaking wet...fill out the paperwork...take my picture (in which I look wet and angry) and soon I'm on my way home to get out of my wet clothes so that I can go to dinner. After changing clothes, I walk back out to my car to find a clear, blue sky, birds chirping and sunshine. Aye! But, at least the passport application process is complete and should arrive mid-May. Hopefully this adventure is not a sign of things to come.