Home Again Home Again Jiggity Jigg

I went out of town (AGAIN, you say?) for my brother David's wedding. It was wonderful and really fun, and I am really grateful that my long suffering husband and kids didn't even whimper as I walked out the door for the third time this summer. Actually, being at the wedding was incredible, but the fact that they will be here this week makes it better since we all know nobody gets to visit with the bride and groom the weekend of their wedding.

Okay, so I'm back. Let's get situated:

Claire is actually, factually registered for school. We even have a meet-the-teacher later this week, so that makes it super-official. She's scared to go, and she gets more scared every day. Thank goodness there is only one week left or she'd be a dribbling catatonic shell by the first day. I'm confident that she'll get over it quickly. Probably by the end of the first day. I feel for her in the interim, of course.

I have yet to buy stamps or go to the shrink (or make the appointment), but I feel like that is something that tomorrow can handle.

Family Home Evening is another story. It is the last one before school starts, so I really want to focus on that. However, Andy may be out of town over night. We just don't know. I really want him there for it, of course. Rollin' with the punches on that one, I guess.

I felt very grown-up this trip because I drove myself to the airport, parked the car for three days, and then drove myself back home (obviously) when I returned. Very fancy. I even walked directly to my parking space! I remembered to pull out cash to pay for parking on the way out. I was in possession of the parking ticket I got when I came in three days earlier. I mean, I was on a ROLL! (Off topic: Andy was opening a box of chocolate covered oreos I brought back for him from Rocky Mountain Chocolate, and, as Claire waited breathlessly for them, she whispered, "Holy snap!") If it weren't for that ridiculous 10 minutes that found me in the lanes for credit card checkout and something called airport ez tag checkout. Apparently, I didn't qualify for either of those. So, I turned around and went out the do not enter lane, back through the parking garage to my recently-vacated parking space, and started over. I made it down to the correct cash-only lanes, but I was made. The attendant had watched the whole thing as I backed up and pulled into lane after lane, been rejected, did a U-turn, and went out the one way lane. I think he was trying to let me save face by not mentioning it, but I saw him see me, so the jig was up. Other than that, though, I was golden.

And, here's the biggie: I traveled without luggage! I wore my wedding outfit (same as the church outfit, kids) with my shorts underneath, my flip flops, deodorant, toothbrush, meds, mascara and lipstick, phone charger, and two pairs of undies were in my purse. That's it! I was staying with my family, so I knew that there would be makeup and hair stuff there. Of course, I didn't count on Sarah and Liz being so hostile about sharing, but at least my mom and Mary were friendly. I routinely sleep in my clothes and wear them the next day, so spending three days with one outfit aside from the wedding clothes was perfectly normal. Yes, yes, I could've taken a carry-on. But then could I say that I traveled without luggage? No, I could not. And that makes all the difference.