What do being birth certificate less, traveling to eleven different countries in a little over four months, spending $151.15 and having to take a very unfortunate looking picture have in common?
Andrea got her passport finally. Yes, I am a little late to party. But, money was tight due to knee surgery in March. A perk of living in North Carolina? Small towns are every where. So, being in my position I called the closest one’s postal office to make an appointment. I had called four other offices and they were completely booked! Another perk, my boss (who seconds as a good friend) lives in that small town. This ice cream shop's logo (the smiling ice cream cone) greeted me as I drove in and I knew that it was a good ole' country town.
Fast forward through two messed up applications (plus the two I had tried to fill out on skype the night before), one really unfortunate looking passport picture, two people that had no idea what they were doing and $151.15 and we were on our way to the only McDonald’s in town.
(Insert panic here): where the heck was my birth certificate! I had my receipt and the mail order thing, but no birth certificate. I tried to calm down a notch and called my friend M and asked him if they gave it to him (since everyone and their brothers think we are dating: which we aren't) which of course, they hadn't. My panic sky rocketed again. Add on top I. Could. Not. Get. Through. To. Them. On. The. Phone. I was getting more and more upset by the second. Finally, Rhonda (I think her name was) told me they had it! Thanks for the heads up and mild heart attack postal workers! I'll be expecting in the mail soon. She always made sure to throw in the fact that she's never had anyone not receive their birth certificates back. We'll see about that, there's a first for everything ya'know.
Lesson I learned (tip for future racers): passport people take your birth certificates and send them to the Department of State (maybe someone else?) and they mail them back to you. So, deep breath, it is normal. And, hoepfully you'll have squad mates like Alex to not think your odd for freaking out when you messed up the thousandth application on Skype and to tell about the situation afterwards and not think you are completely crazy for freaking out so much.
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