US Embassy and Consulate line one please

We leave for our cruise in T-Minus 23 days. We have known we are going on this FABULOUS cruise since.. Hum November '09. Never, not once did it occur to me that I was going to need a passport for this little jaunt. Well Last week MIL Julie sent me all the stuff for the cruise and it mentioned a passport, which we both have from our Honeymoon. Well hubs went and got them out of the safe deposit box only then did I realize mine says Cortney Mae Pangle. Well, this could be a problem. So I freak out.

Here is the hotel that I may never get to see...

I begin to do research like a mad woman about needing a passport and how I thought Puerto Rico was technically part of the US. Well wikipedia tells me that it is an Unicorprated territory.

Me being me, I don't read any further, I go straight in to panic mode and look up the passport website. The website states that if it has been longer than a year since you have been married they will require you to get a new passport. CRAP! I am an idiot. I plan to an extreme level and then I go and do something stupid like this! So I begin looking at how to renew with a name change.. not so easy, not so cheap, and not so fast. So I continue to flip out. I then send out a frantic email to my friends asking for help.

Sweet Hannah sends: "Bring your marriage certificate. Shouldn’t be a problem." ahh sign of relief. THEN

Sassy Amanda sends this one: "you should be stressed....make some calls."

I then decide I need to call the passport office myself. I call, talk to Valerie she tells me that Puerto Rico is considered part of the USA and you do not need a passport to travel there. She does tell me that if I want to use my passport I will be fine as long as I have a certified copy of my marriage license.
So I calm down just a bit by this point, but don't feel 100%. I figure one more call couldn't hurt and this time I decide I am not messing around. I am going to the legit source. no go on Obama, but I went to the next best thing.. The US Embassy. Yep, called them on up and verified that I would in fact be ok traveling with out a passport.


( As I am telling this to hubs last night he is absolutely speechless. When he finally regained his sense of speech he replies with, "Cortney Mae you are such a dork.")

During lunch yesterday I decided to stay in and register us for the cruise. When you go on the website it then tells you to put in your passport and you will need it or your birth certificate. Well, I guess that I am going to need a copy of my marriage license after all.

I ask my boss if there is anyway that I can leave at like 4 so I can go by the courthouse to get it. We had a conference call that lasted until 4:10. I run out after the meeting is over and drive 85 to bentonville.I pull up to the court house at 4:27 and run to the door. This mean old lady walks out and says to me in a snotty voice. "The offices close at 4:30, THEY ALL DO."

I then make an exaggerated look down at my watch and reply, "WELL SINCE IT IS 4:28 they should STILL be open."

Annoyed I stomp back to my car in my, 4" I HATE you Jessica Simpson shoes, and try to regain my composure.

I mean really JS..  Trying to destroy American Women's feet one stiletto at a time?

So to reward myself I stop by one of my favorite places..

I was hungry and annoyed. This is never a good mix when you are shopping.
I decide that the Suddenly Salad Greek edition would be a perfect addition to our Turkey Burgers. I also put some roasted red peppers and some artichoke hearts in with it. I was so good and it made my day a little better. What? Don't judge me, sometimes this kid eats her feelings..