The most organized woman in the world (TM)
A 4th of July and traveling tale
Dispatch from July 5, 2014
My husband gave me the title of “most organized woman in the world” many years ago. I was on my way to earning it too. In our early marriage, and through two kids and two households an Atlantic apart, I was on top of it all. I fell off a bit with bedrest with a twin pregnancy. I blamed my lapses on mommy brain, but looking back I see that they were more tech growing pains.
I'd miss an appointment time because I hadn't synced my phone and desktop. Or I’d send the wrong daughter to a birthday party because I had used the wrong color on my calendar entry, mistakes not made with paper calendars. I had other small mishaps after the move to the US, such as running out of milk or eggs because I was used to online grocery shopping and delivery. It takes a lot of time to actually go to the grocery store.
But today, I out did myself. This prompted a little parody from my husband. "The Most Organized Women in the World. She does not often screw up, but when she does, she does so spectacularly."
So what'd I do? Yesterday, the morning of July 4th and the day before our flight to England, I got out the children's passports when organizing my carryon. The twins' passports had expired back in April. We fly today...maybe. I couldn't even do the 48 hour rush that I did two years ago with the older children's passports—yes, this is a second time foolish mistake for me—because it was the 4th of July. Federal offices aren't open. When this posts, I'll be at the passport office.
This is Houston, and its a renewal, so it can be done. Regional passport offices are here. It just isn't close to a sure thing.
UPDATE: Houston rocks. Passport turnaround in about 4 hours. It was almost easier than going though the regular passport renewal process. Almost. I’ve done another renewal in 2018 — why aren’t we on the same schedule? Oh, how I wish — and the regular process is easier. But possibly because it is just less stressful. I did say that the Houston office managed a 4 hour turnaround for me, right?
The guy behind the desk just smiled at me when I told him we were flying that afternoon. I'll tell you though, I've never heard such politeness before or since as I did from the people standing in the emergency passport, no appointment line. And when I left the building, I noticed this billboard towering over my parking space. Appropriate, I thought. (My picture featured the original Most Interesting Man, but I can’t find my old shot, so the new one will have to stand in.)
