breathe...breathe...

april 17 isn't all that close to april 28, right? that's 11 days. that's a ton of time, right?

i checked the status of my passport application today, and the estimate is that i should receive my passport "on or around" april 17. my flight to ireland is on april 28. that's pretty close if you ask me. i'm glad i got the application in the mail as soon as i did, but i wonder if they bumped me back a bit to get to people who were travelling sooner. maybe they are being conservative in their estimate, too, and things are going out a little more quickly than that. i have to admit my heart rate went up a little at the thought of it not being safely in my possession well before my trip. i'm sure it will be okay, but i want it now...

of all the years to decide to renew my passport (which i could have done at any time in the past three or so years), i pick the time that passport applications are probably at their peak due to the new rules requiring passports for flights to mexico, canada, and all those other places. whoops! at least i'll have it handy for all those impromtu trips to exotic lands that i'm sure to be taking. har har.