First Travel Log

When I was sitting down in January to begin the 12 page application needed to apply for a Russian Tourist visa, there was one question that overwhelmed me: List every country you have visited in the last 10 years and the dates of entry and exit.  I'm not good with dates or years and Jason and I spent the first decade of our marriage globe trekking wherever our frequent flyer miles would take us. I got out my two most recent passports and sighed at the mess of stamps and dates. None of the stamps were in order. Many of them I couldn't make out. Was that stamp Morocco or Egypt? How many years ago was Spain? Did we fly into Geneva or Zurich when we hiked in Switzerland? I ended up paying the Russian government an extra $65 fee to fill out a less complicated form that required far fewer details. (It cut the paperwork down from 12 pages to 3. It was worth every penny!)

Still I ask myself, why haven't I kept a journal of all my adventures or at least a log of countries visited and dates?

Bereket, here's my attempt to do a little better for you.  Our project this week is getting your passport renewed as it expires next year. It will be your 4th passport! Yes, in just 6 years of life you will have had 4 passports!

Here's a log to help you keep track of the early international adventures in your life.

Passport #1 was issued to you in 2011. It was your Ethiopian passport allowing you to travel to your new home in America. Look at the cheerful expression you gave the photographer! (We came to know that lovely expression well!)

Passport #2 was a first priority when you arrived home. Once we got your certificate of citizenship in the mail, we were off to Walgreens to get your passport photo taken.  Passport #2 was used only for one trip: Mazatlán, Mexico on March 9th, 2012. Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Eric, Grandma and Grandpa were all there.

Passport #3 looks just like the one before it but with more stamps! We had rushed getting your passport for the Mazatlán trip and when we came home from Mexico, we began the process of changing your name. The Ethiopian government named you Bereket Jason (because in Ethiopia your last name is your father's name) so we had to get your name changed to Bereket Ann!

You've had lots of wonderful adventures on Passport #3.
Negril, Jamaica: January 20-26, 2014 (with Mommy and Daddy)
Cancun, Mexico: January 24-31, 2015 (with Mommy and Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa)
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: January 22-29, 2016 (with Mommy and Daddy)
and Cozumel, Mexico: July 18-22, 2016 (with Carson and his parents Cory and Katie)
One note: while we didn't need your passport for our trip to Sanibel Island, Florida in December of 2012, we still brought it along just in case the TSA wanted to see identification for you. So I'm putting that adventure in your travel log, too.

Wow, girl! You've been on the move! Mommy and Daddy have a big surprise for you coming up in January, 2017 to celebrate our 5 year anniversary as a family. Here's a hint: it involves a really big ship and 4 exciting ports of call! So let's get that paperwork for passport #4 started! We've already gotten your new photo taken and look at what a mature little traveler you are becoming. 

(Now, no asking "how much longer?" or "are we there yet?" when it comes time to get on the plane!)

Until that next adventure, a family photo of our retired passports. Such great reminders of all the sweet travels we have to be thankful for.