A couple of months ago, Chris had me apply for Global Entry and a Known Traveler Number to make travel easier. It never seemed to fail that everyone in my family would get TSA Pre-check except for me on all of our trips. I would end up waiting in line while the rest of the family breezed through security.
The application for Global Entry was under the direction of US Customs and Border Protection, through the Global Online Enrollment System. It cost $100 to apply and if approved, the status would be good for five years.
Once I submitted the application, I waited for a conditional letter of approval which then prompted me to sign up for an interview where applications were approved or denied. There were interview locations throughout the country; I chose Denver. The earliest interview times, when I first looked, were scheduling in to February. So I chose a time and set about to wait.
Chris suggested that I check back to see if there were any cancellations. I checked at least once a day for a week, until finally there was a cancellation on October 13. Without consulting my calendar, I accepted the 12:15 pm time.
You can imagine my amazement and surprise when I looked at my calendar to input the new time and realized it was also the exact time when Chris' flight from Japan was landing. I would have been at the airport anyway to pick him up.
Yesterday, I left for the airport around 11:15 am. It was about the same time Chris was texting me that his plane was over Mead, then Longmont, then our house. I must have gotten outside too late, because I couldn't see his plane at all. I didn't have time to run around to the back of the house to see if I could see him. It would have made a great picture addition though, don't you agree?
Chris' flight was a little earlier getting in but the plane sat on the tarmac for awhile before people were allowed to deplane. So as I was outside of the Federal Offices door next to the International Arrivals gate at Denver International Airport, Chris showed up having just retrieved his luggage. He waited for me for less than ten minutes. My application was approved; I now have a Known Traveler Number which is linked to my passport and am set to go for my next trip. I'm almost as cool as my traveler husband.
