- May 22, 2019
I am probably one of the world’s worst travelers.
I am terrible at packing, I am a germaphobe & hate crowds – add to that I am always running late - even to catch a flight!
My saving grace is my Global Entry pass. This is a pass that as long as there is a TSA pre-check line, gives you immediate TSA pre-check for all flights when you enter your Global Entry number when making your reservation.
There are other options like Clear, or standard TSA Pre-check. Both of these options are better than simply taking your chances with airport security, or arriving 4 hours early for your flight to make sure you can get through security and not miss your flight. The issue with Clear is that it is a relatively new company and isn’t yet available at all airports. If they are in place at your home airport where you fly out of frequently, it might work for you but with the $129 price tag, it is definitely a costly option. TSA Pre-check is more widely available and cheaper at $85 and allows access at most airports where TSA pre-check is available. By contrast Global Entry allows for expedited entry through customs when returning to the U.S. from international destinations, while also allowing the same benefits of TSA pre-check for just $15 more. Both last for five years. My experience with the Global Entry pass has been flawless and has worked at almost every airport I’ve traveled through.
Make sure to follow all directions correctly. The cost when I last checked was $100. Please allow 4-6 weeks for approval - so don’t procrastinate until it is too late!
For information on how to apply and to check eligibility, go to https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/how-apply
Please share your story with us at mystory@50fabulousandfinallyfree.com
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- May 20, 2019
It’s every girl’s dream to be proposed to in some grand romantic way. No matter who you are, somewhere in your psyche is that idea that when you meet your special someone they will surpass all of your expectations and sweep you off your feet with their unique proposal to you. I was no exception, and I will admit to liking the idea of marriage as my boyfriend kept mentioning it during our courtship. Although we disagreed on diamonds (he liked Marquis cut, if you can believe it? He pressed very hard for me to like it too!) I felt confident that my thoughts would be taken into consideration if and when the time came for us to take things to the next level.
The day came that I had dreamt of – he took me on a hot air balloon ride, got down on one knee as a plane flew by trailing a banner that said, “Will you marry me?” I was swept away and believed he loved me as I loved him; I took the leap and said yes. He quickly placed the ring on my finger; fortunately, it was a beautiful pear-shaped diamond ring. I was thrilled and felt so lucky to have someone that would put so much thought and creativity in to making our engagement so special and unique.
Imagine my surprise a few months later, when I found out I was the 4th proposal, not the 3rd! I found engagement pictures of he and his previous girlfriend, whom he had proposed to in the exact same way (hot air balloon and same banner!) – only difference, it was with a marquis cut diamond ring, a cut that he pressed so hard for me to like and want! Had he really wanted to recycle an engagement ring? I was shocked but kept telling myself, "It wasn’t that big of a deal, right? I was engaged!"
Please share your story with us at mystory@50fabulousandfinallyfree.com
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- May 18, 2019
As a mother, you look forward to your child’s successes. From the moment you drop them off for their “first” day of Kindergarten, you embark on a seemingly unending voyage of “firsts.” The first time they ride a bike, write their name, play an instrument, sing a song, or play a sport – they all happen for the “first” time. If you’re like me, you photograph most of these firsts and do your best to chronicle them in scrapbooks or journals (or even on a site like Shutterfly where many people store their photos). As kids get older, it becomes harder to document these days – anyone who’s tried to get a 13 year old to hold still for a picture knows what I mean. If I had a nickel for every picture of a tween / teen rolling their eyes at me that I have taken, I would be rich! The tween / teen years feel like a bobsled ride as the years fly by and you become less of an active part of your child’s life and more of a spectator.
This year for me has been something of a blur, my youngest (my baby!) graduates from high school this year, while her older sister graduates from college. I find myself reflecting on how fast the last 18 and 21 years (respectively) of their lives have gone by. In the sea of “firsts” that I chronicled, I never stopped to document the last “firsts.” The last time I drove each of my children to school, the last school concert I attended, the last lunch I packed…these happened almost without my noticing and now they’re part of our family history. I’m not saying I miss taking my kids to school, the stress of that, when I first went back to work was intense!
I am proud of all of my children; they’re all strong, smart and caring people. They all have plans and will accomplish great things as they march forward into their futures. I have done my job as they say, I raised them to be independent and capable individuals and they are living up to that in every way I could ask.
As proud as I am of them, I have found myself daydreaming here and there about the days when my kids were all shorter than me, piled into my car ready to go to school, each one clutching a lunch made by me. I will be strong, I will be proud, but there will be a small part of me looking back and wishing maybe we had time for one more last “first.”
Please share your story with us at mystory@50fabulousandfinallyfree.com
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