Last Friday I got online to do our check-in for our spring break trip. Quick, right? I had to enter our passport numbers and expiration dates. Dan, bless his heart, had them scanned and saved to an on-line secure library so I could get the numbers. That's when I found out the kids' passports expired last month. After what seemed like hours on the phone to various government agencies, I found out the kids could get on the ship with a birth certificate and a "laminated government-issued identification card," a driver's license, by any other name. The MVA needs a birth certificate and proof of lawful presence in order to issue a state ID card. Lawful presence is established by means of a valid passport or a social security card. We lost Kevin's social security card in the move years ago. It takes 5 business days to get another card when applied for in person with proof of birth and legal residency, ie, a passport.
Through the State Department's phone system, I got the "next available" appointment at the passport office for expedited processing. Thursday at 9:00. And we depart on Friday.
OK, so that was last Friday.
Saturday, I already posted pictures from Kevin's Special Olympics Basketball tournament. Last year he participated in what they called "skills development." which consisted of dribbling, passing, and shooting baskets. This year they moved him up to a player development unified team. Two special needs athletes play with a regularly-abled player-coach. The team coach and the player-coaches help the special athletes learn to play basketball against another team. As Dan pointed out earlier in the season, it's hard to teach these kids to be aggressive and go for the ball, rebounding, and defense when they've been taught to share and be nice all their lives.
Our team really came along this season, going from losing their first game 0-20 to winning all five of their games Saturday. Some were very close, some were funny, all were exciting. I'm proud of my boy, he's really coming along.
Sunday, I worked at my guild's quilt show. When I arrived I rushed through the displays to find my quilt, you know, to make sure it was really there, and it had a ribbon on it already! I about fell on the floor. One of the vendor's chose it as their favorite.
My parents got to the show at about 2:30, just in time for the appraisal appointment I set up. The guild had Phyllis Twigg Hatcher come to the show this year to appraise quilts. I found the whole process fascinating. Since the quilt was hanging in the show, she asked me a lot of information first before we went in to see it. She asked me if I had a picture of it, she didn't know if she'd seen it or not. I told her she had, it had her vendor's choice ribbon on it. "Oh! That's yours!" After measuring it and quizzing me on fabric and techniques, she said the replacement value of the quilt was over $1500. I asked her why she chose my quilt for the ribbon. She said she liked that it wasn't ordinary, the colors flowed well and borders were nice.
During the show, all guests can submit a ballot of their favorite quilts in different categories. My quilt was in the Large Pieced category and it won first place for viewers' choice! I was so excited, I still can't believe I won.
Mom and Dad got to take the quilt with them at the end of the show. This is the quilt Mom says she'll be redecorating her bedroom around. I have to finish the pillow shams for her to match the quilt. One day.
In the mean time, I need to stop the mail and confirm with the house-sitter, and pack for the cruise. Did I lose enough weight to fit into summer clothes? I still have 3 more days.....
1 comment:
so that's why I saw you walking by my house early this morning :)
have a great time - hope all the paperwork gets straightened out okay.
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