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Carrie Rodriguez 
Background-taxes. What a responsibility. First, where do I get the software? It keeps going up each year, but we need it for our girls, too. Then the input. E-filing is great until daughter's return is not accepted because we claimed her and I entered her as not claimed by parents on her 1040. How did I make this goof? I have no clear answer to support my action; goof it was. So amend our forms and reprint. What? 2008x and 2009x (x for amended form) are right next to each other on the jumpdrive I took to the printers? Time is running out. Thinking I had it all orchestrated...Having a car for a single afternoon last week to print, hit the bank, get a couple supplies needed for the trip at Dollartree (first visit in over a month-no car translate to much less shopping) while getting Victoria to and from UofA. At home I realize the directions of what to send and how much our check is to be made out for is not on the cover sheet of over 90 pages of printing. Yup, 2008x is right next to 2009x and I printed the wrong one.
Weekend full of Easter and celebrating Jesus' love for us. Moved to tears by the worship music and drama of Christ's death and resurrection. Drama of the Passion-1st one I remember was at age 5 when I knew I was responsible for the nails in Christ's hands and feet and understood I was forgiven because I asked Him to by my Savior. Visiting with Andreina, home from her apartment for the afternoon. Picking up Cesar's Trailblazer from the 100k mile service. Driving home the "check engine" light comes on. Driving back into the dealer I see all the techs driving home for their Good Friday. End up getting a Landrover to use for the weekend from Tim who sold us Cesar and Andreina's cars in one week a year ago. Good news- we can take the girls with us to church (they would not fit in Eleon's lowered pickup). Less good-need to get back to the dealer to exchange the vehicles on Monday. Packing and FAFSA submission and business paperwork for all 3 of our enterprises. Melaluca still has the $1 annual fee offer and being in my first week of business I need to get this info out and help one of my new partners build her business, too. Heritage2U.com and publishing a great story for family and another customer to get ready to publish while I am gone. ACN and the internet is here at our home and we can switch over and start getting paid for our own service...wait, an issue. We need to schedule install and since I am not going to be at the house...Now, this does not look like enough to fill days. But, I did not function at low speed. I was busy, all day, for days.
So Tuesday comes and we decide I'll take Cesar to work so I can have the car to find a way to get our taxes printed before I leave and I can sign them (deadline to submit is before I get back from Germany). Andreina brings me a great "Its your pre-birthday breakfast" and cherry pastry. Victoria gets back from work and ready for a full day at school and a doctor visit (yes, it is only 9am and both girls are done working for the day and on their way back out to school). Pack the car, head to the printer-what? They are trying to fix the copier and it will be 1/2 hour. Traffic from construction on every street. "Need Gas" light comes on; stop at Costco on the way to the freeway. Arrive at Learjet to pick up Cesar to go to the airport with me and a solution is found-printed taxes which are signed and ready to mail (yes, you do need to get the postage after I leave).
The Fletcher's were at the airport when we arrived. They had checked me in online, printed my boarding pass, registered me for the security info (birthday, passport, travel itinerary) and I just went to the counter, no line and everything ready for me. Thank you! We chat a little with Frank, Nic and Mia. Then off to the security checkpoint and good-byes. Find out from Mike who's checking our id that Renee Ruben is at the airport, but on A concourse...We organize our bags, get food for the flight, and think we are ready. Umm, my cell is our home phone...change the message to say I won't be answering through the end of the month and please call Cesar, our girls or one of our business partners.
Flight to Atlanta goes well, just concerned about the connection in a large airport. We hurry, follow signs, take the tram and arrive at the gate. For seasoned travelers this does not sound like much. For Julie and I, with a baby to go see, we know we have no room for error. Time to get something to eat on the plane and board for Paris. Note to self: long flights feed you (twice-dinner and breakfast). For some reason (probably not having had lunch) that salad I bought was consumed with relish (actually it was ranch dressing), calming my headache and queasy stomach. Then we rested, figured out the in-flight entertainment, reviewed our transfer info for Paris (printed with maps and a request for escort by the airline services to the next flight), watched the harbor in New York's lights while hoping to see the Statue of Liberty, ate dinner and found rest. What? Its morning? Don't think I really slept since the flight to Atlanta started (sat down, buckled in, met Vaugh who attended the college Jenn Englekirk is at, American in DC, fell asleep for maybe 1/2 the flight?).
Paris, no Eiffel Tower to be seen from the air as we hoped. Boarding passes, passports and transfer info in hand, we check one more time-no customs and we CAN make it with this short layover we have, right? Walking, briskly. 10 minutes...walking fast even on the conveyor sections...walking. Hit a line to have our passports check (didn't you say we did not have to go through customs? oh, just don't have to have our bags check but still need to stand in this longish line...tick, tick, tick. 30 minutes. Switch lines to one with 3 clerks, wait...Julie gets right through. Me? Looks at the paperwork. Sets it down. Looks at the clerk next to him. Looks back at my papers. Not a word to me and not a stamp. Looks at the boarding pass, then the passport again. Know I am streaming sweat (stress is messy for me). Without an acknowledgment of my existence, the stamp is given, papers pushed back under his partition and I am free.
There is no gate on this boarding pass. We know the terminal we are headed to, but there are over 20 gates there. Are we close, no. By now, I knew my words to Frank in Tucson were true. I would be longing for a rolling carry-on over my heavy bag without wheels. I lost my title; I am not the speed walker supreme. Julie wins! She was great. Leading the way and checking often to make sure my glowing red face was behind her, she navigated our way to "Eureka, Terminal 2D" and a screen stating our flight was on final call. This was right in front of another security screening. What do we do? Started asking for help, could someone call ahead to the airline to let them know we are at the check point? Well, no. One employee, two, back to the first, a third. What? You will after we make it through this process? Afraid we were not going to make it but without an option, we waited. We saw the call being made and received the directions to just go around the corner, downstairs and to the gate (it actually took several minutes to just go around the corner and walk down those stairs) and there is another clerk on the phone, "Stuttgart?" Yes, we are Stuttgart. She gets off the phone, checks our passes, points us to a DOOR, not a plane gate. We were sent to a BUS. Every passenger glared at us, not a kind look from a single one. They may have been wondering if they were going to have to call the EMT cuz I must have looked like I was gunna pass out and they were deep in thought about this; naa. And we wait. And wait. And, oh, we get to start, and wait. Over an hour of speed walking with heavy bags and we arrive at a plane with an open flight of stairs for us to climb. Last ones on, first ones off the bus, we find our seats and endure the looks and the comment of the pilot, "We were delayed because we were waiting for passengers..." Peanuts and juice, no sleeping but knowing we made it and all we needed now was to find who ever was going to meet us in Germany. Not Andres as planned last week? No, he has an assignment out of town. Last minute change, he does not need to go. Adrianna thought labor was starting on Sunday night? Did it while we were flying and have no way of getting a phone call? Unknowns, but we are almost there. Months of planning, days of travel, hours of unknowns to..."There they are!" Chica was smiling, Andres was holding Diego up to see us. No customs, not baggage receipts checked, just head into their arms, hug and reassure Diego we ARE really there. Just before we walked into the lobby, the "Lightning McQueen" car was spotted in the play area and was our first stop (which he was excited about until it started moving...)
And then it was like any other day. We were 1/2 way around the world, but we were heading to base and getting IDs with our family who knew just what to do. Where did Andres go? We saw him walk into the building just in front of us. We tried the second floor, the third; he looks up the stairwell and Diego is thrilled to see him down there. Back down to the office around a corner which this time was JUST around the corner and viola. Paperwork complete. Back across the parking lot to the PX and great German pretzels and coffee proceeded by Popeye's seafood and fries paid for with a debit card in US dollars like Euros did not exist.
Conversations included the cobblestones which Patton drove tanks over which Andres walks over each day at work. The former German SS building with the Nazi symbol broken off the stone eagle over doorway. History. Looking forward to seeing more. And a coo-coo clock charm. And a baby...Unpack in their great, modern designed home, one bag for us, one for baby, one for us, one for baby...American Idol and laughing while Andres and Diego run, hide, chase each other, sliding all over the wooden floors, simple joys to call home about and let them know we are safely enjoying. Diego was confused that he could not see Tata on the video phone (or the cat) when we call; Cesar was at work and we called his cell. There is a suggestion the video phone go with him till we show Isabella to him as events are happening instead of leaving a video message for him to watch later. We will see; hope the phone works at the hospital.
Looks disproportionate, travel to joy with family. We will remedy that tomorrow, I am sure. Thanks be to God for His mercy. We are blessed and full of joy. Started at this 2 hours ago; 1:37AM and I ought to sleep. Maybe I can now.
Weekend full of Easter and celebrating Jesus' love for us. Moved to tears by the worship music and drama of Christ's death and resurrection. Drama of the Passion-1st one I remember was at age 5 when I knew I was responsible for the nails in Christ's hands and feet and understood I was forgiven because I asked Him to by my Savior. Visiting with Andreina, home from her apartment for the afternoon. Picking up Cesar's Trailblazer from the 100k mile service. Driving home the "check engine" light comes on. Driving back into the dealer I see all the techs driving home for their Good Friday. End up getting a Landrover to use for the weekend from Tim who sold us Cesar and Andreina's cars in one week a year ago. Good news- we can take the girls with us to church (they would not fit in Eleon's lowered pickup). Less good-need to get back to the dealer to exchange the vehicles on Monday. Packing and FAFSA submission and business paperwork for all 3 of our enterprises. Melaluca still has the $1 annual fee offer and being in my first week of business I need to get this info out and help one of my new partners build her business, too. Heritage2U.com and publishing a great story for family and another customer to get ready to publish while I am gone. ACN and the internet is here at our home and we can switch over and start getting paid for our own service...wait, an issue. We need to schedule install and since I am not going to be at the house...Now, this does not look like enough to fill days. But, I did not function at low speed. I was busy, all day, for days.
So Tuesday comes and we decide I'll take Cesar to work so I can have the car to find a way to get our taxes printed before I leave and I can sign them (deadline to submit is before I get back from Germany). Andreina brings me a great "Its your pre-birthday breakfast" and cherry pastry. Victoria gets back from work and ready for a full day at school and a doctor visit (yes, it is only 9am and both girls are done working for the day and on their way back out to school). Pack the car, head to the printer-what? They are trying to fix the copier and it will be 1/2 hour. Traffic from construction on every street. "Need Gas" light comes on; stop at Costco on the way to the freeway. Arrive at Learjet to pick up Cesar to go to the airport with me and a solution is found-printed taxes which are signed and ready to mail (yes, you do need to get the postage after I leave).
The Fletcher's were at the airport when we arrived. They had checked me in online, printed my boarding pass, registered me for the security info (birthday, passport, travel itinerary) and I just went to the counter, no line and everything ready for me. Thank you! We chat a little with Frank, Nic and Mia. Then off to the security checkpoint and good-byes. Find out from Mike who's checking our id that Renee Ruben is at the airport, but on A concourse...We organize our bags, get food for the flight, and think we are ready. Umm, my cell is our home phone...change the message to say I won't be answering through the end of the month and please call Cesar, our girls or one of our business partners.
Flight to Atlanta goes well, just concerned about the connection in a large airport. We hurry, follow signs, take the tram and arrive at the gate. For seasoned travelers this does not sound like much. For Julie and I, with a baby to go see, we know we have no room for error. Time to get something to eat on the plane and board for Paris. Note to self: long flights feed you (twice-dinner and breakfast). For some reason (probably not having had lunch) that salad I bought was consumed with relish (actually it was ranch dressing), calming my headache and queasy stomach. Then we rested, figured out the in-flight entertainment, reviewed our transfer info for Paris (printed with maps and a request for escort by the airline services to the next flight), watched the harbor in New York's lights while hoping to see the Statue of Liberty, ate dinner and found rest. What? Its morning? Don't think I really slept since the flight to Atlanta started (sat down, buckled in, met Vaugh who attended the college Jenn Englekirk is at, American in DC, fell asleep for maybe 1/2 the flight?).
Paris, no Eiffel Tower to be seen from the air as we hoped. Boarding passes, passports and transfer info in hand, we check one more time-no customs and we CAN make it with this short layover we have, right? Walking, briskly. 10 minutes...walking fast even on the conveyor sections...walking. Hit a line to have our passports check (didn't you say we did not have to go through customs? oh, just don't have to have our bags check but still need to stand in this longish line...tick, tick, tick. 30 minutes. Switch lines to one with 3 clerks, wait...Julie gets right through. Me? Looks at the paperwork. Sets it down. Looks at the clerk next to him. Looks back at my papers. Not a word to me and not a stamp. Looks at the boarding pass, then the passport again. Know I am streaming sweat (stress is messy for me). Without an acknowledgment of my existence, the stamp is given, papers pushed back under his partition and I am free.
There is no gate on this boarding pass. We know the terminal we are headed to, but there are over 20 gates there. Are we close, no. By now, I knew my words to Frank in Tucson were true. I would be longing for a rolling carry-on over my heavy bag without wheels. I lost my title; I am not the speed walker supreme. Julie wins! She was great. Leading the way and checking often to make sure my glowing red face was behind her, she navigated our way to "Eureka, Terminal 2D" and a screen stating our flight was on final call. This was right in front of another security screening. What do we do? Started asking for help, could someone call ahead to the airline to let them know we are at the check point? Well, no. One employee, two, back to the first, a third. What? You will after we make it through this process? Afraid we were not going to make it but without an option, we waited. We saw the call being made and received the directions to just go around the corner, downstairs and to the gate (it actually took several minutes to just go around the corner and walk down those stairs) and there is another clerk on the phone, "Stuttgart?" Yes, we are Stuttgart. She gets off the phone, checks our passes, points us to a DOOR, not a plane gate. We were sent to a BUS. Every passenger glared at us, not a kind look from a single one. They may have been wondering if they were going to have to call the EMT cuz I must have looked like I was gunna pass out and they were deep in thought about this; naa. And we wait. And wait. And, oh, we get to start, and wait. Over an hour of speed walking with heavy bags and we arrive at a plane with an open flight of stairs for us to climb. Last ones on, first ones off the bus, we find our seats and endure the looks and the comment of the pilot, "We were delayed because we were waiting for passengers..." Peanuts and juice, no sleeping but knowing we made it and all we needed now was to find who ever was going to meet us in Germany. Not Andres as planned last week? No, he has an assignment out of town. Last minute change, he does not need to go. Adrianna thought labor was starting on Sunday night? Did it while we were flying and have no way of getting a phone call? Unknowns, but we are almost there. Months of planning, days of travel, hours of unknowns to..."There they are!" Chica was smiling, Andres was holding Diego up to see us. No customs, not baggage receipts checked, just head into their arms, hug and reassure Diego we ARE really there. Just before we walked into the lobby, the "Lightning McQueen" car was spotted in the play area and was our first stop (which he was excited about until it started moving...)
And then it was like any other day. We were 1/2 way around the world, but we were heading to base and getting IDs with our family who knew just what to do. Where did Andres go? We saw him walk into the building just in front of us. We tried the second floor, the third; he looks up the stairwell and Diego is thrilled to see him down there. Back down to the office around a corner which this time was JUST around the corner and viola. Paperwork complete. Back across the parking lot to the PX and great German pretzels and coffee proceeded by Popeye's seafood and fries paid for with a debit card in US dollars like Euros did not exist.
Conversations included the cobblestones which Patton drove tanks over which Andres walks over each day at work. The former German SS building with the Nazi symbol broken off the stone eagle over doorway. History. Looking forward to seeing more. And a coo-coo clock charm. And a baby...Unpack in their great, modern designed home, one bag for us, one for baby, one for us, one for baby...American Idol and laughing while Andres and Diego run, hide, chase each other, sliding all over the wooden floors, simple joys to call home about and let them know we are safely enjoying. Diego was confused that he could not see Tata on the video phone (or the cat) when we call; Cesar was at work and we called his cell. There is a suggestion the video phone go with him till we show Isabella to him as events are happening instead of leaving a video message for him to watch later. We will see; hope the phone works at the hospital.
Looks disproportionate, travel to joy with family. We will remedy that tomorrow, I am sure. Thanks be to God for His mercy. We are blessed and full of joy. Started at this 2 hours ago; 1:37AM and I ought to sleep. Maybe I can now.
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