It seems only a moment ago that I was saying I just have to make it to Amsterdam. And now I’m back in Amsterdam again. 

They always ask you passing through customs “why?”  I don’t say it out loud, but the answer always goes through my head, “for love.” 

Before I got my long-term visa for France, Dominique and I traveled back to the US, in hopes of obtaining it – or at least applying – in Chicago. It was somewhere between the agent taking my passport and him saying that it could take months that I started to cry. At that moment I no longer had a passport. I didn’t live in Chicago. And we weren’t sure what to do…so we went to my mom’s in Alexandria. “Why?” For love. We had a plan. Get my passport back and just return to France, hoping for the best, and applying there. My brother said I would end up in jail or hell – he, always with the delicate support. We called Chicago and had them mail my passport back explaining we had a sudden need to “go to Canada.” Which wasn’t a lie. We wanted to make sure my passport wasn’t flagged in some manner. My mom, with still no stamp on her passport, needed to come with – no need to ask why.

When we got to the border, they pulled our car over, told us to come in. They ushered Dominique and I into the back. My mom remained at the door. They asked every question – why were you here, why are you together, why did you get married? This time I did answer –  love. The questioning lasted about 20 minutes, and then they set us free. We walked up to the door – my mom still standing there. She looked around and said, “Doesn’t anybody care why I’m here?” 

We laughed about it for the next 18 hours in Canada and then returned back to Alex. Spoiler alert – it all worked out. My mom got a stamp on her passport and I eventually – heavy emphasis on eventually – received my residence card.

It all seems like only a moment. Maybe that’s what this life is – a beautiful moment. And I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I think, if you’re going to do anything, it better be for love.