Saturday, March 22, 2008

Another good surprise

So I have been weekly trying to meet up with a friend to pray together over our lives. Of course my traveling and adventures we pray for (hence the post here and not my other blog). My anxiety around this next trip has been pretty high in some areas, but a really a big one was that I'd have to travel from New Delhi to Bangalore myself after going to the Taj Mahal. My friend prayed that God would help me with this and maybe provide a nice travel companion on the way back.

Low and behold this week a woman who I work with, who is going to Bangalore also, stopped by and said she wanted to go to Taj but would prefer to go with a group. She just happens to be flying into the Delhi the weekend we are going. Now she's working out staying in the same hotel and she'll fly down to Bangalore the same day I do also. So I have now been covered and have a buddy to do the last leg of the trip back with. So cool...

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Discovered

My passport was found! I got a call yesterday from Gustav's. I'd gone there for dinner the night before I was to leave and my passport must have fallen out of my purse when I went to pay. I'd called repeatedly and someone had even looked in the booth for me but hadn't seen it. Then Wednesday I get a call and since I'd left my phone number they contacted me immediately. I now have it in my possession again, no need to go to Seattle and get a replacement or rush to get my visa's again.

Seriously what an ordeal! I was definitely not supposed to go to China that's for sure. Hopefully I can get there soon.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Update

Just to update you all on my passport nightmare... I got a lot of teasing at work today of course it was to be expected. But I feel good knowing some other people have had the same issue. Because of my India trip being so soon and requiring a special visa I have to go up to Seattle to apply in person to expedite the process. This way I can get my passport back in time to submit it for the visa and still travel. So I'll be heading up on Thursday. Anyone up for a road trip? :-)

Saturday, March 1, 2008

My nightmare

It all began this morning as my cell phone for work rang out in my hallway. I bolted up and realized my alarm did not go off and the driver for my trip to the airport was here. I jumped out of bed and threw on clothes and ran out the door. I'd been up very late finishing packing and cleaning up my house because my parents were going to stay here while I was gone. As I was in the town car I started checking to ensure everything was in my purse and my passport was missing! I've been in a panic for the last 8 hours since this discovery.

I had my passport yesterday as I was travelling around doing a few last minute errands. I had it zipped into my wallet. I remember because I moved it two times while I was out and about to get a credit card out. Today its vanished. I called every place I went and no one has turned it in. I've looked in the parking lots I went to. I looked through my car. I've cleaned my house, unpacked all of my bags, sorted through trash even and still no passport. I can't leave without it. I have a photocopy only, and I doubt that would be sufficient to get into a country requiring a separate visa!

I called the sheriff's department today and reported it lost or stolen. I'm just praying it shows up somehow. If its not found by tomorrow I will report it lost or stolen to the government which means if I do find it, it is unusable and I have to get a new one. I've had two friends offer to come help look through my house, Erin is on her way now and maybe she can see something I've missed. Otherwise I'll be on the phone cancelling reservations and sending an apology to my coworkers for not coming at the last minute, yet AGAIN! Grrrr.....

This has been one of the most frustrating and panicked days of my life. I feel so bad that I am missing my flights and cancelling a trip that was already cancelled once. This was the make up for that first cancellation. I just feel like everyone will think I'm an idiot for losing it. Then again I'd rather be dumb for losing it and not having it be stolen which is scarier. My only consolation is that my Dad called today and said he kept waking up last night feeling there was something wrong with me and worried about me. He just kept praying for me. He said maybe I wasn't supposed to travel to China right now. I've been praying all day that the God of all miracles who can do anything would make my passport miraculously appear so I could travel and it hasn't. There must be a reason. I know that I need to rest in God's will in this matter and trust how this has been orchestrated, but I'm really struggling to understand why this has happened? I just recall one story from women's retreat recently where a mom just felt her daughter was in danger and was praying and praying for her, and when she finally got a hold of her her fears were true. Her daughter had had a crazy experience with a mugger and was totally shaken but safe. Maybe I'm being protected from something I can't see?