22 February 2010

oh my.

our morning started out like this:
8:00 am: goldie wakes up, eats, and falls back asleep quickly. i put her in her car seat because we've got some errands to run and then we have to take dad to the airport.
important to know: jake's flight leaves salt lake at 1:05 pm.
8:30 am. jake and i split up. he goes to the county court house to pick up goldie's birth certificate because our big errand today is getting goldie's passport (we have an upcoming last-minute trip). we need to get it expedited because the trip is coming up very soon. because jake is going out of town today, we HAVE to get her passport this morning or we won't be able to go on the upcoming trip. in case you didn't know, if your child is under 16, both parents need to be present when filling out the passport information. we leave sunday. he gets back saturday. you get the picture.
while jake picks up her birth certificate, goldie lou and i hop in the car and head to walgreens for her passport photo shoot. i wish i had taken a picture of the final product because it is hilarious. double chin and big eyes. love my goldie.
jake retrieves the birth certificate and we meet back at home because he has to finish packing. i love my husband more than anything, but the man is a last-minute packer. i don't know how he does it. it drives me crazy. i don't operate that way.
it's now 10:00 am. we get in the car and head to salt lake. there is a travel brokers office there that we needed to get to before heading to the post office. we fill out all information there, pay the extra cost for the expedited passport, and they put it all in an envelope for us to bring to the post office. the nearest post office where you don't have to make a passport appointment is downtown, so that's where we go.
it's now 11:20. we arrive at the post office. let me remind you that jake's flight is at 1:05. you would all be so proud of me because i am seriously remaining calm. well, on the outside at least. on the inside i am having a panic attack, but nobody likes jenna when she's having a panic attack. i'm working on controlling that side of me. i did well today. anyway, moving on.
it's a typical post office. there is a line for the mail, and a line for the passport office. my heart literally sinks as we walk in. there are about 9 people in line waiting at the passport office. okay, maybe there is hope. maybe for some miraculous reason the line is moving fast today! yes, we'll be okay. we'll get this worked out.
it's 11:45. jake says he has to pee. i'm almost crying in line. we carried goldie's car seat in and left her snap n' go stroller in the trunk. i didn't want her to be on the floor, so i asked jake to go get the stroller while i wait in line. jake goes to the bathroom because he's had to pee for 25 minutes. he's also very low blood sugar, and anyone who knows us vela's know that when we get hungry, we get grumpy. good thing i packed him a lunch. he goes to the car, gets the stroller and a sandwich. all is happy in jake land.
meanwhile, i'm standing in line, looking around the people in front of me to see how fast the man is moving behind the counter. not very fast. i ask the old man in front of me, "has the line been moving at all since you've gotten here?" he replies a very simple and disappointing, "no."
more panic sets in. we're not going to make it. jake has to get to his flight and that means that we're not going to be able to go on our much needed trip together next week. i want to cry. i want to lay on the dirty post office floor and slam my fists, screaming, "WHY? WHYYYYY?"
and then i remembered my friend cali's story, where she persevered and did something out of her comfort zone. i can be brave. i can be brave.
my shins started sweating as i realized what i was about to do. i am not someone to send back food at a restaurant. in fact, the other day i was at a cupcake place for a much needed snack. there was one mexican chocolate cupcake left, and i wanted it bad. the lady working behind the counter skipped the girls in front of me and asked me what i wanted. i told her i wanted the mexican chocolate cupcake. i realized she skipped the girls in front of me, one who looked particularly sad. i realized i had taken the last cupcake that she wanted. had the lady followed to standard rules of a line, the sad girl would have gotten her cupcake. in the end, i ended up giving her the mexican chocolate cupcake and i walked away with something else.. a little bit less desirable. i'm nice i guess. again, i don't send back food at a restaurant because i don't want to be a burden and i want others to be happy.
today that part of me just won't cut it.
my shins were sweating, like i said. i am wearing ugg boots, sweatpants, a hoodie, and my hair is air-dried from the night before. it's a curly/straight frizzy mess. it's down, flowing nastily over my shoulders. i have no make-up on. i'm a disaster. i look homeless. i look like a tired mom. here is a visual.
ha! oh my gosh i can't believe this picture. i'm laughing. are you? good, join me, won't you?
i can feel a lump in my throat but i push it back. be brave damnit! (sorry, but that's really what i said to myself).
this is for goldie!
in a victorious and slightly shaky voice (i might have been on the verge of tears. the time is now 11:50 am), i loudly said,
"excuse me everyone!"
9 people turned in my direction. the staff at the mail place looked too, i'm sure. and all the people in the mail line. jake is still gone. be brave.
"would anyone care if i cut in front of them? like, maybe cut in front of all of you?"
and then the run-on sentence in a loud but defiant shaky voice that nobody probably understood,
"my husband has a flight that leaves in one hour and we're here because my newborn baby (point to car seat on the floor) needs a passport for a trip that we HAVE to go on in one week and if we don't get this passport today we won't be able to go and my husband and i both have to be here because if you have a child under the age of 16 then both parents have to be here to fill out the information but he doesn't get back until saturday and we leave sunday which means there won't be time to expedite a passport and i feel very desperate and would normally NEVER ask to cut in line but we have to get to the airport."
awkward silence. a few people nod. one man a few people up says, "i don't care if you cut in front of me." so i did. many thank you's were said. and many i'm sorry's were said. there were still 2 people in front of me. i couldn't wait for them. desperate times call for desperate measures! they purposely turned their backs to me.
OH NO YOU DON'T! NOT TODAY. NOT TO THIS MOTHER WHO DESPERATELY NEEDS A VACATION WITH HER LITTLE FAMILY!
"excuse me. sorry. can i cut in front of you guys too?"
they stare at me. both separate customers. whatever.
"please?"
the guy mumbles something and steps aside.
"thanks, i seriously appreciate it. i'm really sorry. i'm so desperate."
obviously.
i start filling out more paperwork, balancing everything in my hands. i've already filled out the same paperwork back at the travel broker's office, but who knows, i mean maybe i have to fill out the same thing in person here. where the heck is jake?
husband looks for me in the back of the line, but alas, i am not there!
"jake, up here!" i victoriously yell.
he scoots past the 9 people i cut in front of with a sandwich hanging out of his mouth and a stroller. i love him so much at this moment. we're next in line.
it's 12:00 pm. i kindly tell the man working behind the counter that jake's flight leaves in exactly 1 hour. he understands me immediately and speeds things up. bless his soul. while he's making the last copy, he instructs jake to go get the car going. jake takes the stroller and is out, and i love this man for taking some action and understanding my desperation. he hands me all the stuff that i need and i'm out. i say thanks again to all the annoyed people who let me cut them. i start to jog through the post office. uh oh.
i haven't been on a run yet since i've had the babe. i went to the gym but only did the elliptical. there is no impact on the elliptical. see where i'm going with this?
i stop right before i get to the doors and lean quickly on one leg. a little pee has come out.
oh my gosh, i'm starting to pee. i focus big time and stop it.
i realize at that moment that i can do anything i put my mind to. HOORAH!
i resume a quick walk through the doors and see jake with an open trunk to our pathfinder. he is fiddling with the snap n' go (no tutorial had been given yet... sweet boy). he shakes it up and down. he gives it a little kick. finally he lifts the entire thing up and starts to shove it into the back of the car. i am laughing hysterically. i laugh as i type that. i wish you could have seen him- it is a picture that made my life. i rush to help him and off we go.
12:20 pm. we pull up to the airport. jake gives me a quick kiss goodbye. "i love you! i love you! good job today! we did it!"
i say a prayer that he makes his flight. and he does. i drive away, no gas. get gas, return to the broker's office and give them the passport info. we should get her passport by thursday.
it may have been a crazy morning, running around like idiots, but i seriously conquered myself today. i did something completely out of my comfort zone and it totally paid off.
i was really proud of myself.
and now, my friends, i am going to bed. and i'm going to sleep long and hard tomorrow with my daughter, and i'm going to like it.
peace.

23 comments:

KEH said...

you're the best. way to go. what made me sad was the fact that as i was reading that, i realized i would have had zeeeerrrooooo problem yelling at everyone as soon as i walked in the door. i need to work on being more like you. you and the fam deserve a passport-necessary vacation..enjoy!!!

Anonymous said...

Love your blog and LOVE this story. :) I am a lot like you in the sense that I hate to inconvenience anyone. I am the girl who would let everyone else go before me and never say a thing. Well, before I had my daughter. I have changed in bits and pieces and realize sometimes, it's ok to just ASK. So I LOVED reading this and laughed loudly when I read about your husband trying to shove the stroller in the car (I totally did that).

Alixa said...

That was a great story. I laughed out loud several times. Love the pic of goldie in her car seat too. And I love the visual of Jake trying to shove a not broken down stroller in the back of the car. We had to get an expedited passport for Jenna too for a last minute trip. It was brutal. Good job! Have fun on your trip!

Jen Holtkamp said...

holy cow! supermom!

Katie said...

this story was only made funnier by the memory of you doing that same leg lean n' squat while laughing hysterically in our dorm room freshman year.

the jake vs. stroller image was straight out of a movie!

love you

trudy...{and jamo} said...

wow!!!!!!! i am so proud of you! you go girl!

Meikel said...

So impressive! And even more impressive that you are traveling internationally with an infant!
But more importantly where is this place that sells mexican chocolate cupcakes?!
p.s. Goldie is so darling!!!

abbie said...

love this. maybe being a mom empowers you?!? way to go. can't wait to hear about what exciting trip you're going on??

Unknown said...

YOU GO GIRL! YOU GO!!!! LOVE IT!

Katie Bayley said...

This story makes me really want to be a mom... is that wierd?

Amanda and Matt Dalton said...

Amazing! So glad you got everything done in time! Enjoy your trip!

Katie (Feuz) Nielsen said...

I'm a total creeper on your blog (in the good way, of course) and just wanted to give you kudos for stepping foot out of your comfort zone! I am just like you (isn't it so incredibly awkward and uncomfortable to "inconvenience" others?) and it would take every ounce of determination I could muster to do what you did. Congrats!

Erin said...

oh man Jenna, I love this story! I almost peed my pants when I read about you peeing a little bit. Poor mommy bladders. Good job! Love it.

Michelle said...

everything about this story makes me laugh...maybe because it also reminds me of me. That would be huge for me to beg 9 people to cut in line...I love the run on sentence...and the part about you staying calm on the outside, and freaking out on the inside. (that basically describes my marriage most of the time). Mike is also a last minute packer. anyway...love the story. you really make me laugh

Brittny said...

oh jenna! that is too crazy for me! I would have cried the whole time, you are WAY better/stronger than I am! I'm glad everything worked out!... thanks for all of your sweet comments! I'm glad we are able to keep in touch through our blogs:)

Andi said...

wait. wait. wait. let me get this straight, you can take goldie somewhere that requires a passport, but you can't bring her to denver? wow, jenna. wow.

jenn said...

you rock! i dont think i could have done that...definately out of my comfort zone....but, for our family...you have taught me that we can do anything@ high five to ya!

mattie said...

i'm also a creeper...not sure how i found your blog, but i love it. hope you don't mind!

this totally reminds me of myself. when i get nervous and need to say something, my heart pounds, i get short of breath, and my voice shakes. i was laughing so hard when i read your speech.

good job though! you've reminded me to be a little more brave in situations like this.

Ash & JD said...

bahahaha I'm still laughing about this story. I think you missed a part though... :)

Ash & JD said...

bahahaha I'm still laughing about this story. I think you missed a part though... :)

Morgan said...

Umm wow, I would definitely never even think to do that, but good for you for stepping outside of your comfort zone! You worked hard for that trip. I hope that it's fantastic and worth all of the torture that you went through.

I get the feeling that I probably get really annoying leaving you comments since you don't know me. I really hope that you don't mind!

Rachel said...

Just read this story. Crazy!! Good for you though! That's good to know that babies need passports too...I figured but I wasn't sure.

The Young Family Inc. said...

I love you nenna bug. Bless your hole.