Trip Prep

I have gotten plenty of tips on how to deal with changing time zones and taking a red-eye flight. All very helpful, thank you. I've actually been in training for this for over 9 years now. Like most moms I can sleep anywhere and in any time increment and somehow it adds up to enough sleep that I can function with the aid of a lot of caffeine. Also, I have flown with small children a lot so to fly without small children, well, that alone is a vacation. Getting four kids and a disturbing amount of bags and gear through security has prepared me for anything frankly. Ha ha to those of you who think spin class is a work out. I also keep getting asked how long the flight is going to be. Not as long as it would be if I was spending the entire time trying to keep a toddler from kicking the seat. One of my main concerns is making sure I have something good to read on the flight because I might be bored. Trying to wrap my mind around this concept. I might get around to figuring out how to play Angry Birds. Patrick would be so impressed if I did.

I am also trying to prepare the family for the week I am gone. I think Sean can make bread but I feel like I need six loaves in the freezer just in case. Nana and Pops come Tuesday night so I am actually not worried because Nana also makes bread. Yes, this is all the children eat. I am worried about what they will wear to the school concert though (that yes, I am missing and will be mentioned in future therapy sessions no doubt) so I may have to address that before I leave. And perhaps label dresses as it would not be unheard of for the girls to mix them up and have Megan wearing something really short and Anna wearing something comically long. That would really tip off the mommy police and get them wondering where I am. Yes, if I die in a plane crash I'm sure some of them will think it is WHAT. I. DESERVE. for leaving young children for a week.

We all have issues about leaving our children and if we all had years of therapy we would all get to the point I am at now. I just skipped ahead and took that therapy money to pay for this trip. The children will never be old enough that I don't worry about them so putting off travel until that point means it will never happen. There is only so much (actually, very little) that we can control in this world and if worse comes to worst and the plane goes down, I am going on record saying Sean has my permission to remarry but only Rachel McAdams, not that slut from the hospital.

Well, that all sounds very convincing so maybe I will even pack my bag today and then tomorrow I will actually get on the plane. Not sure how much wine I will need on that plane but I feel I should warn Heather that I may not be totally gorgeous when I show up in Brussels.

p.s. other tips I have received include be sure I pack enough clothes for the whole week (nope, I don't have that many clothes, hence the shopping aspect of this trip... I literally have not left Manhattan now for 5 months and it shows) and bring peanut butter because I will get sick of the food there. After making endless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and peanut butter toast every single day, I am ready for a break from peanut butter. Also, my concern is not getting sick of restaurant food, my concern is having the appetite to try it all. Again, it has been 5 months since I have eaten at a non-Manhattan restaurant. I am ready. I think.