The Good Really does Come with the Bad.

In a lot of ways this has been a rough year. Things seem to not want to go smoothly. Every single time something has gone wrong, someone in my life has popped up to do something freaking spectacular though.

Most of the complications have been things forcing me to learn to lean on my Viking. I’m not a ask for help sort of gal, and deep down I’m terrified of asking for too much and him leaving. This past year has taught me that he will give me anything he can as long as I respect and value him. It is so important for our relationship.

Then there are other times, like when my dad very nearly died in May, Lynsie called me up while I was staying with him in the hospital to offer to bring me anything I needed. That phone call felt like love and helped me through a really, really fucking scary day.

This is the view from his hospital room at early early dawn.

Now, I’m having serious first world problems. My boyfriend bought me a cruise. I was raised poor white trash. Right now in my life, I’m still poor white trash because I made the decision to put all career or job things aside to help my parents. I don’t regret it; it just means I’m poor and always stressed the fuck out. This cruise is a big deal for so many reasons. I applied early enough to get a passport in time for the cruise.

I got a glamorous old Hollywood hat for the cruise. I have always wanted one, even if my gigantic head made it look smaller.

Turns out they did not like my birth certificate, and my application got put on hold until I got a new one.Oh,yeah, and they are holding on to the old one for a bit. So, I have no passport and no birth certificate (gimpy one or not), and I need a photo ID and a birth certificate just to board the ship. Who knows if I’d have been able to get off the ship at our destination stops.

They tell me this in an email Friday August 1st.

I leave on the 13th.

The Viking and I order a new long form birth certificate expedited on Friday. Sunday night I upload everything I need. I get the new birth certificate on this morning.  I run all the errands, and call the passport people to see if there is any way possible they can continue processing my passport application in time to go. I was informed I had two choices: 1) overnight mail the passport to the processing center and hope for the best (possibly leaving me with no birth certificate or passport AGAIN, or 2) drive to Dallas to continue the process there.

At least I was still going to be able to wear the prettiest dress I’ve ever owned. I’m fancy and shit.

Since I posted my woes (and the Viking’s heroic save) on Facebook on Friday, my friend Donna has been really worried about me not getting a passport. Today, she called me to tell me she WAS driving me to Dallas, I WAS going to get my passport in time, and I WAS going to enjoy my cruise, getting off the ship at every stop and getting a passport stamp.

Donna has been one of those special people in my life who show up with a willingness to care, listen, and give whenever I needed her. Most of those times I didn’t even know I needed her until she showed up with an open heart. One of my major life goals is to be to at least one other person what she has been to me.

So, yes, this year has been rough, but it has also been a gift. I might be tired, cranky, and frazzled most days, but life keeps reminding me of how lucky I am.