February 26, 2011
Mother of the Bride
The big news around here is the engagement of our daughter. She will be getting married later this year and between now and then we’ll be doing a lot of wedding planning. It is a weird feeling to have a daughter getting married. It seems like such a passage of life. The first time this week I used the word ‘fiance’ I was surprised how weird it felt.
And does any parent watch their child head into a marriage without at least a little apprehension? I’m sure the whole engagement phase will have its ups and downs as we plan all the details of the wedding and let go of our little girl.
I know she’ll be a beautiful bride. I’m confident she’ll be a great partner as well. I hope I pull off a model mother of the bride!
February 15, 2011
It’s No Party in the USA
My son left today to drive to New Orleans. He has friends in Nashville and New Orleans and thought he would drive down for a week and visit. He has gone the last two years on the same trip (only longer than this).
He got stopped at the border and refused entry to the USA. Wow! Someone at Homeland Security needs to wake up to the current reality of youth today. He is a self-employed photographer (he has 4 websites and tons of clients). Some of the required documentation he needs include:
Evidence of a landline (are they kidding – who under 30 has a landline?)
A stub from an employer (he is self-employed).
He must carry enough cash for a two week vacation (what – in this age of Debit and Credit cards why would someone want to carry cash?)
He was detained for over an hour, finger printed and questioned. No one was able to tell him what exactly he needed or couldn’t bring. He had camera gear with him apparently that is questionable. They simply didn’t believe his truth – that he was going to visit friends. Wow. Of course, he could have flown and had a full body scan – maybe that’s what they are trying to encourage more airport revenue.
I needed to vent a little here. I’m in no hurry to travel to the USA these days. It is a country that seems to be slipping more and more in my mind.
