I actually started planning for this trip in November. Here is the reason why I started then.
My Family History-hubby is Canadian, here in the states on a green card. His passport actually expired 11 months after our car accident in 2007. So with his passport to get it renew it took him 10 mo and 4 picture redos to get it. After that experience we thought we better start getting these done.
So we began with my daughters passport first...we found out we both had to be in person and at special designated location to do hers, Atwood Post Office. When we both heard this we called the poor guy there at least 6 times to confirm the location and appointment, why we couldn't BELIEVE it was there. I seriously thought this guy was getting very annoyed with us and send us on our way, but he stuck with us. So upon arriving at the designated location and time, we were informed that k's picture that we had done a month back will not work. It had to be a picture taken with in one week of the appointment. Alright, so I forked over the money to get her picture done and finally got everything done in correct order. This little adventure cost us a Whopping grand total of $120 for her picture, passport and mailing it with certification. We were so excited to receive this in a timely matter the first part of this month.
On to get my passport which it expired 2 yrs after our car accident. For a renewal passport it has to be mailed in except if your name changed. Oh boy, hubby and I started the calling and inquiring, because my maiden name was on my old passport and I am now under my married name. So we found out that if we call up the place where we were married at and getting a certification stamp on a copy of this certificate we can then mail it in. Then we can go to Atwood and mail it there. Alright so I called the courthouse got the certification stamp and copy and then headed down to Atwood for the guy to help me mail it.
No problem, right WRONG. The picture that I had done at Walgreens was slightly in correct. So I decided to fork over the $14 dollars to redo the picture right then and there. I can always take the other back to Walgreens and get my $7 back. Well we got that taken care of and then I hand him over the copy of the marriage licenses and he informs me there is a good chance that it will be denied. OH man, Now Why...he informs me because the stamp was on a separate paper and not on the certificate. By now I am getting a little tick with government. I told him SEND it. Thankful after all that issues and I tell you Down to core on my knees praying this will go through and $150 out of my pocket for this it finally came in my mail the first of this month.
Halleluiah we are on our way, I thought....