for once, postal service was quite good.

passport arrived in my mail box this weekend!

three things-

1. that was fast and it looks really cool, they've changed it to a really nice design,updated, accdg to Jimmy. His is not like mine.

2. I did not get my original passport returned to me from when I took a trip to philippines as a teenager which was very sentimental to me and upsets me that I lost it. I didnt even scan or take a pic of it for memories sake. I am a little upset about it. I think maybe it might be because my original passport had my maiden name, this one has my married name as i never changed my last name after divorcing. [i've been divorced for approx 5 yrs now]

3. it was the best piece of mail i got this weekend and quite a surprise!

have a looksie :)

AFTERNOTE: Turns out, I did get my OLD passport returned to me yesterday in the mail, days after I got the new one. HUGE sigh of relief!!!! :D

p.s. been waiting for this since last season ended.

looking forward to sunday fall season premiere of this, see below!!!

'Desperate Housewives' recap: Fast forward We find out what the ladies of Wisteria Lane have been up to for the last five years in the season opener

exotic locales, my origins + our sandals honeymoon.

http://www.sandals.com/main/whitehouse/wh-highlight1.cfm

Honeymoon French Deluxe Beachfront Patio Room $2232.50

Original Price: $3,910.00

Book today and save $1,677.50

Our package we chose plus price we were charged - we did get a special deal that Sandals happened to offer recently and the resort we've chosen is all inclusive which means 7 gourmet restaurants, unlimited food, unlimited bar and alcohol, ride to airport to and from hotel, hotel rooms, and plane tix. the only thing we'd even have to pay for is any souvenirs we buy, tips to airport drivers + if we decided to have an adventure or outing outside of the resort such as outdoor excursions [sightseeing] OR a driver in town etc. more than likely we won't be doing much of that as we've been warned against exploring too much outside of resort since it's a very poor island and not safe to do.

so anyway, we have booked our honeymoon, whitehouse resort in Jamaica - outside of montego bay [about an hour away] with sandals all inclusive pkg in a european styled resort with a patio beachfront first floor honeymoon suite.

I have to apply for a passport this weekend [last time i had a passport was when i was 16, in 1988, when my mom took my brothers and i to visit HER homeland- the philippines. long story short, my mom studied as an intern and then became RN via school program in Philippines as exchange student in Chicago, IL, USA months later met my dad, who was white, an irish catholic - american. they dated and quickly engaged in order to not lose each other, i think. they of course married within six mos and my mom got her greencard. she's been an american citizen since before i was born and that was 1971 so i'm very americanized altho recognize my culture and mixed ethnicity to a great degree. because i was raised 'white', it has made it harder for me to feel i fit in any place totally. i never fit in with full filipinos because i was never perceived as looking even remotely asian or pacific islander and even white people couldn't believe i was not white and was mixed. i kind of grew up feeling separated and divided and longing/yearning to fit in and belong somewhere. although, i feel i had numerous issues that made me feel isolated growing up. ]

sadly, that passport has LONG since expired and i am due for a new one. i am all torn up that i have to turn in my past passport of my 16 yr old self due to sentimental nostalgic reasons that i traveled to my mom's country very far away back in 88 and was there for 6 wks. it was one of the most monumental and memorable experiences in my life and in my teenaged coming-of-age years. though the country was very poor and didn't have the luxuries or amenities we take for granted in USA [and it was about a million times more humid and hot than it is here in FL] - it was a great cultural experience. btw, i left as brown as can be by the end of the trip LOL

so anyway that above was a good memory, and i'd have liked to keep the passport book marked with philippines in it and as part of my souvenir from that time, but apparently when you sign up for a new passport to replace an expired one, you have to turn the old one in. i'd like to find out if its possible to just lie and say i lost it or forgot it but worry the extra fee for not turning it in and exchanging for new passport MAY be excessive and unaffordable- moneywise.

anyone out there know?

we need to find out IF we need vaccinations by a dr before traveling to the carribean or if it's required to travel by law although I think Jimmy told me last nite he was told they aren't required by law but I wonder if they are at the very least recommended.

I have never been to the Carribean in my life and neither has he. So it's a bit anxiety provoking but its also very exciting especially when you take a look at the website and link I included at top which shows you the beautiful resort we've chosen, the beaches, island, the sands, the luxury and romance of it all.

I've never done anything like this and never had a real honeymoon during my first marriage becos in all honesty my ex was too poor and made minimum wage, had no credit, had bad credit/bankruptcy etc.

Exotic trips or trips out of the country were not even an option when i was with him and was out of our league so this is something i am not entirely accustomed to, in any romantic relationship inc. marriage.

I look forward to my first real honeymoon and truly hope it will be a specical memorable romantic time with minimal fighting as sometimes we clash with different personalities and natures, I think. It is a five day trip all in all. I think it wll be good for the two of us and want to make it positively memorable for both of us so I'm going to try to be on my best behavior despite my crazy manic mood swings LOL :D

Here is a copy of our travel agents detailed email in regard to the honeymoon pkg we signed up for lastmonth and fully booked our trip and flight with her by making the minimum deposit already.
+++
email from travel agent:

Hey Jimmy and April,

It was great to meet you both yesterday. Please know I am here if you need anything!

Here is the break down of what we discussed last night:

Sandals Whitehouse in the Honeymoon French Deluxe Beach Front Pation Room $2232.50 for the travel dates of December 1- December 6, 2008.

See the airfare choices below. The one I quoted you is the cheapest, however has the worst layovers. So I am sending you 3 different choices. This does not mean this is all there is, I just did not wish to send you too many. When you are ready to book your airfare, I will do further research to make sure you are getting the best price on the flights you choose.

Honeymoon French Deluxe Beachfront Patio Room $2232.50

Original Price: $3,910.00

Book today and save $1,677.50

Description:

Large beachfront room with a patio and views of the beach and or pool. Located on the first floor in the French Village.

Room View:Beach and or pool

Here are some air schedules:

$691.38 for 2:

AA #1773	Dec 01, 2008 06:00AM - 07:00AM	Depart: Tampa/St.Petersburg (TPA) Arrive: Miami International (MIA)
AA #469	Dec 01, 2008 09:40AM - 11:10AM	Depart: Miami International (MIA) Arrive: Montego Bay (MBJ)
R E T U R N I N G
AA #1812	Dec 06, 2008 03:50PM - 05:30PM	Depart: Montego Bay (MBJ) Arrive: Miami International (MIA)
AA #1831	Dec 06, 2008 10:55PM - 11:55PM	Depart: Miami International (MIA) Arrive: Tampa/St.Petersburg (TPA)

Click here: Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa - All Inclusive Vacation

passports + pastors!

[jimmy wrote me the email below from work earlier in the day so now the passport appt is official [i dread the picture becos i know it will come out ugly] - this coming weekend, saturday morning. and the pastor finally has had some communication with us in regard how to work out vows and our wedding ceremony coming at the end of november. since we met him via our historic wedding chapel site and by recommendation and since neither of us are active in any church- we do not know pastor jack very well, just that we had a meeting with him a while back, he is well respected and highly praised by the facility we are holding our wedding in, is retired and has performed many religious and spiritual ceremonies. a refresher for those who don't know. i was born and raised catholic although am not currently practicing. jimmy was raised baptist and became anti-organized religion as he came of age- prob in his twenties much like me. the difference b/t him and i is this: id have liked a catholic wedding but becos hes not catholic, is unwilling to put the work in to even convert [unlike my exhusband] and i am divorced it truly IS a NO-GO!!

 

Plus, his family looks down on catholics since his mother was raised one and hated it and converted and she thinks its silly that people pray to statues YET is a so called devout christian, a baptist. i find her attitude irritating, insulting and hypocritical. i dont see praying to statues or a rosary as silly at all, and think catholic religion evokes something very mysterious, romantic in ways because of its use of ritual. i just feel strongly about what i was born as. and just cos i dont approve with every facet of catholicism doesnt mean i agree with his families anticatholic prejudices/ rants nor does it mean i will change who i am for anyone. so, my compromise with jimmy is to be married by a noncatholic pastor but one who is religious- i think he's methodist and it sounds like they are not as rigid as other more headstrong christians ive met and seen in the past. mainly i refused to have a wedding without any religious based ceremony.  it wasnt too hard to convince since he does come from a strong christian background regardless of his beliefs today, and because he knows in his heart, his mom and my mom would like to see a ceremony that involves god and the sacredness of marriage that is always best expressed in terms of scripture and prayer.

 

that said, this is what my fiance wrote me, technically yesterday about pastor jack!

 

Hi babe,

 

I wanted to share this forwarded message with you.  The officiant, Jack, that will be doing our ceremony wrote me back after I asked him about the rehearsal time.

 

I also just called for a passport appointment.  They only had an 8:15 or 8:30am (can't remember what she said) and an 11:45am, so I scheduled the 11:45.  Hopefully, that is OK with you.  I know it's a little early for you, but I don't want to wait too long to get it taken care of or we'll be even more stressed.  The lady I spoke to said it would only take 10-15 minutes and she said to NOT sign the application.  I think you have to sign it in front of them.

 

Remind me to work on the map tonight.  If I can finish it tonight, I'll make copies here at work tomorrow. 

 

Does the Michael's coupon expire on the 20th?  We can either go tonight and tomorrow, or tomorrow and Saturday so we can buy a few things.  I would like to go to the baseball game on Saturday if that's OK.  It's a 3:30 pm game, so we could either go to your parents or brother and niece's after the passport appointment or come home for a one hour nap and then go if you'd like to do something.  You're welcome to come to the game with me, but I didn't think you'd want to go. 

 

 

I just got back from lunch a little while ago and my head is pounding.  I thought some food would make it go away, but I guess I'll have to take an Excedrin or two.  Anyway, I have a bunch of things to work on, so I'm going to let you go.  Hope your day is going good.  I'll see you in a few hours.

 

Love,

Jimmy

Forward---



From: Jimmy

To: Minister Performing Our Wedding

Sent: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 2:36 pm

Subject: November 28th wedding





Hi, Jack.  I just left you a voicemail message, but figured I'd try you here as

well.  My fiancee wanted to touch base with you on a few things regarding our

wedding on November 28th at the Palm Harbor White Chapel.  First of all, we

wanted to know if 6:00 p.m. would be a good starting time for the rehearsal on

Wed, Nov 26th.  We have some family coming in from out of town and wanted to

make sure they can get to the chapel in time for the rehearsal.  Also, we wanted

to let you know that we will be emailing you our preferred vows in the next week

or two and will also send you a copy of the program about a month or so before

the ceremony.  Finally, we wanted to know if you have a new home phone number or

just the cell phone, as the previous home phone on your business card is no

longer valid.



If it's easier to reply by email, that's fine.  Otherwise, feel free to call me

at your convenience at ***-***-****.  We hope you are doing well.



Sincerely,

Jimmy W. and April K.



Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2008 12:07:53 PMFrom: Pastor Jack

Subject: Re: November 28th wedding





Dear Jimmy, the 6pm will be fine for the rehersal time. We are on a trip up in Maine and New England and willbe back home on October 16th...my cell is with me and the home phone is out till we get back home and thenwill be back in service. I am able to get some wifi here and there in our travels. So email me your vows orsend to p.o. box 28 there in tarpon springs...and I can meet with you guys some time in October beforethe big date, ok? Pastor Jack