Passports Ready

Just over a year ago, Ian, Aidan and I ventured out for passport photos to get (and renew) our passports for our trip to China.

 

We visited the local AAA office for our courtesy passport photos, scheduled appointments at the passport office and completed all the needed paperwork to send for our passports.

 

Here is our little comedian preparing for his photo

 

These photos turned out nicely - in spite of the photo above - I thought we might end up with Aidan and his crazy face.

So the passports all arrived in mid July last year - mine is good for 10 years and the boys' passports are good for 5 years.  One year has passed - here's hoping we travel to China to bring Emma home before Ian and Aidan's expire in 2017!  :)

Brian had a passport already - his expires in fall 2015 - tick tock!

During the time we were acquiring our passports, our best friends announced their move to Guatemala to be full time medical missionaries.  Our boys' love their girls and have fondly referred to them over the years as their "faraway" friends since they've lived at least 1.5 hours from us.  What the boys don't quite understand is just how far away their friends really are now.  I've known her for half my life and learning that they would no longer be a short drive or domestic phone call away has been difficult.  It's the unknown - are they safe, when will we see each other again, will I be able to figure out Skype so we can "see" each other, when will they meet our Emma?  I know God called them to this mission - I knew when we met 18 years ago that God had called her to medical missions - I know He'll guide and protect them.  And the good news is - we all have passports and can plan a visit to their mission field once we have Emma home.  We're planning to rack up some stamps in these passports!!