Yesterday was a busy day, besides Jonathon's doctors appointment. We also had to have Rebecca pee in a cup again and that's -always- a treat!
So, we spent 2 1/2 hours at the peds office. The first hour was just sitting in the waiting room. But, we were the first apnt, you say. Why yes, we were. Oddly enough that didn't really count for much as we saw the room empty out, fill up, empty again, and still weren't called. Yeah, I complained.
Anyway, 2 1/2 hours later it's 11 a.m., we run to the house to pick up some papers for the afternoon. Leave, realize we've forgotten more papers, go back to house, hit the road again, get to my parents' house finally. Both boys conked out in the car so they go for short naps and Ian and I head to DC. Amazingly we find a ready parking spot. There's so much dark slush that Ian mistakes it for solid ground and sploosh goes his foot up to his cuff. OK, I couldn't help but chuckle. Get to the passport office, are told it's the the -other- passport office next door. Find it and after a few minutes of making our request are told that lone system that can complete it is down. We'll wait of course because this is what we'd designated the day for... getting this letter, going to the Philippine embassy and making our visa requests.
So we wait. We watch Rumsfeld on TV talking about the U.S. forces heading to the Philippines to help out with the terrorist groups working there. We wait more. A lady comes in with her diplomatic passport stuff and talks about renewing her tourist passports. I comment to Ian wondering why folks would need two passports. She turns and says "Well, if you get hyjacked, you don't want to turn over your dip." Hmm, good point. Not exactly something I want to think abut, being hyjacked, but I guess I should renew my tourist passport.
Anyhow, we wait more and finally they admit they have no idea how long it'll be and offers us other options... which entail Main State, couriers and three other steps. When Ian finally explains to her that this is our day to do this, that he's in class for the next two weeks followed by packout and adios, she says she'll see what she can do and 10 minutes later we have the letter. Well. OK then. Thanks.
So we high tail it to the Philippine Embassy which is about 4 blocks away and we're the 2nd people in line. Hand it all over and are told it'll be ready on Monday. It has to be picked up in person or by a courier with a release letter. ARG. We'll deal with that when we get to it :) We did learn that a Filipino tour is 7 years though (vs. our 2 years). Great if you're sent to DC or Italy. Crappy if you're sent to Iraq. I've always said to Ian that I can take anything for 2 years.
Heading back to the car, we stopped in at St. Matthews church on M Street. Too bad it's filled with scaffolding as it looks like it's just gorgeous. Stopped in at The Vitamin Shoppe... wow that place is just funky. Finally get to FSI where Ian heads to the travel office and I cross the hallway to the health unit and get HepB shot #2 and a polio shot. I'm proud to say I took them as well as my 18mo son. Those tickets are pretty tempting. Ian commented on our way back to the van that we could just wait head to the airport. It'd be a long 3 weeks.
Back to pick up the kids after they play out in the snow (glad I brought all their snow pants and boots!) and we go out to dinner with grandma to Silverado's.
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