Where to Begin?

Our family has been traveling full-time for 11 months!  We're coming up on our one year anniversary?!?  How can that be?  When I say "traveling full-time", here's what I mean...we have no stationary home.  Our little family of four lives in a 26 foot trailer and we travel around the Western U.S. sharing music and stories of God's work in our lives from church to church.  We are beyond grateful for this ministry and consider it a privilege to be part of His plans. 

 Home Sweet Home!

In our life, there is rarely a dull moment.  Our days are full of the unfamiliar!  I am NOT by nature a flexible person who enjoys spontaneity and the unknown, but God keeps growing me and I am learning to love the adventure that is our life!

Often having so very few personal possessions and no house leads to simplicity.  However, sometimes it causes GREAT complexity and difficulty!  Ug!  Let me tell you about the interesting conundrum we currently have found ourselves in.

Last week, we were invited to travel to Guatemala this summer with Potter's Field Ministries!  www.pottersfield.org We are thrilled to be a part of PFM and can't wait to go on our first short-term mission trip as a family!  Here's the problem though: Neither of my boys or I have passports and Josh's is expired!..."OK, no big deal!" you say? Ah but it is a big deal.  You see, in order to get a passport one must present a certified copy of their birth certificate as well as other identification when applying for said passport...
Problem #1 - I don't think I have a certified birth certificate for my boys!....Now, wait a minute!  Don't get all judgy on me!  I didn't lose them!...I just never got them....Who's idea was it to expect a woman who has just given birth and is extremely exhausted and sleep deprived to send in the paperwork to receive a birth certificate for her newborn anyway!?!  Really?!...Ok, fine!  I'll take responsibility for my lack of responsibility.  But the complication of our situation gets even better!  Are you ready?...

Problem #2 - My birth certificate, Josh's expired passport, and other necc. documents that we do have are locked in our shed...At my parent's house...In Washington...We are in Montana!

Problem #3 - We have the key to the shed with us in Montana.

Two days ago, we mailed a key to our shed to my parent's house.  Now, assuming my mom or sister are able to secure the documents we need, they will overnight them to us here in Montana.  We will apply for new birth certificates for the boys to be sent to us here in Montana.  Then we will go apply for our passports.

Problem #4 - In order to apply out of state, you must present two forms of picture I.D....I do not have two forms of picture I.D....not a Costco card with my pic, not a credit card with my pic, not a student or work badge with my pic....Oh brother!  Supposedly they'll allow me to show other proofs of I.D. that my mom/sister will hopefully find in our shed

Problem #5 - We will be back in Seattle where we can use my parent's mailing address for exactly 2 weeks in the beginning of June, so we must expedite our passport applications so that we can receive them in the mail while we are back.

Drama!  Drama!  Drama!

That's okay!  God knows!  He's called us to go to Guatemala so we know He'll work out the details.  I expect he sometimes looks at me and thinks "Oh Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!  The messes you get yourself in to!?!"  I imagine He might even roll His Holy eyes at me! :) 

I'll keep you posted on our passport dilemma, but we'd certainly appreciate your prayers in the meantime!