I thought I was prepared and organized...
Well, today was the day the three of us went to apply for our passports. I had my expanding folder with all the forms that I filled out online and printed out, all six pictures, our birth certificates, driver's licenses, and check book in hand when we walked into the office. I thought the clerk would be totally impressed with how organized I was. Then her supervisor comes over and says, Sandra this is not a birth certificate. What?!

I have used it for everything I've ever needed a birth certificate for for the last 37 years. It has a raised seal and is the only official paper my mom ever had for me. I couldn't believe it.
Here it is less than 8 weeks before the cruise and I don't even own a certified copy of my birth certificate.
I called a number they gave me at the passport office It was going to cost $70 and take 10-14 days. I thought that was crazy so I went online and found out I could get it for $52, but it was still going to take more than 10 days.

We had lunch with the in-laws and MIL told me to try calling the town clerk, in the little town where I was born. The clerk (who btw turned out to be the mother of a boy I had a crush on in 1st grade) told me to express mail her a letter requesting the BC and she would walk it across the street to the post office as soon as she printed it out. I guess it pays to be born in a small town. I'm still a little freaked about about getting my passport in time though. I will be at the post office as soon as I drop DS off at school tomorrw. Do they sell money orders at the post office? I hope so.