ready for takeoff

I didn't get a passport until I was 28. I had to get it so I could work in Antarctica. (I also had to get my wisdom teeth pulled so I wouldn't create a dental emergency at the bottom of the Earth, but that's another story.) After that, I was hooked on seeing and experiencing new places. I often think that if I hadn't gone to Antarctica I probably wouldn't be living in Sweden right now. Although I became a world traveler pretty late in life, I've made up for lost time. My passport is about to run out of pages after visiting New Zealand, Fiji, Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany, China (Hong Kong), Taiwan and Portugal. (I still really want to see Japan and Iceland.)

Sophie just received her passport in the mail yesterday, and actually she's already been to another country (Denmark) to request it. I wonder if being born in Sweden and having a passport so young will make her want to experience the world at a much younger age than I did.

I thought it was going to be impossible to take Sophie's passport photo when she was only 6 weeks old and meet all the requirements – eyes open, both ears showing, closed mouth. Here's the trick: I draped a white sheet over her bouncy seat and sat her in it. And I took it in the morning when she's especially happy and alert. I got a good photo within minutes. Somehow I don't think the same techniques will work for Lewis when he takes my new passport photo this weekend...

Speaking of world travelers, Lewis' mom and stepdad are leaving the U.S. for the first time... TO MOVE TO GERMANY. In fact, Barbara has never even been on a plane before. Her first flight and big move happens on Monday. We'll be thinking of you guys and can't wait to see you on this side of the pond!

Comments

[ADM]

So why are they moving to Germany? What a leap!

[ginny]

For a job... and a totally new adventure. Sound familiar? :)

[mommyknows]

I love the picture! Sophie is really cute.

[jp]

baby passports!

all i ever got was a school picture.

and wow ... moving to germany? totally cool. and seeing that now you WORK at ikea, not such a big need to drive to texas every so often.

can't wait to see you guys when passing through k.c.