Day's away... We are getting to crunch time now with this trip to CA!! I'm getting extremely excited and even more nervous. What if I don't get laundry done? What if I leave dirty dishes? (yea, like my mom would let that happen....) What if Tyler gets sick? What if I go into labor? What if Tyler does not sleep? What if GARY doesn't sleep? (I haven't slept in a month so that's not a concern.) What if our luggage doesn't get there? What if I gain 10 pounds like a normal vacation? What if I don't eat enough b/c eagle-eye-mom is watching? What if this is the most fun vacation ever and I miss it completely because i'm too busy worrying about all this stuff that does not even matter?!?!?! I have no less than 5 running lists of what I need to remember to do and to pack and which bag it's going in. I have a diaper bag and toy bag for the plane, on top of the three of us, the carseat and a small carryon-suitcase. I live in fear of the luggage geting lost so Tyler's air bed and extra undies for all of us are going to be on the plane. I know, it's just one more thing to carry and I think it's a secret battle Gary is waiting to have with me in the baggage area where I can't freak out so much... or maybe he's finally accepted that he has to leave the anal tendancies alone. We also have two small suitcases and the stroller to check. It's a lot of seperate bags but we are actually taking very little considering i'm involved. For me, packing is half of the fun of a vacation. I like to make a list of everything possible i'd like to have with me, then I work to make as much of it as possible fit in as little space as possible. Usually, as long as I can get it all into the car, Gary lets me take it. This time, since it invovles air travel, it all has to fit into the pre-determined space of the two suitcases we are taking and carry ons... becaues we have to be able to carry it. Ahh... I wish so much it could be like when I went to Europe and I packed so much I could not carry it and all the boys on the trip helped me (Thanks Reuben! You are a stud!). I also have to follow all these new flying restrictions about liquids... grrr... I know they have good reason but i really don't want to spend $3 on a bottle of juice after security that would cost me 40 cents to buy here and bring with me. Gary, of course, has been packed for weeks. He found a few shorts and shirts and a pair of jeans, threw them in a space saver bag, and set them in the baby room. He only has to add a few undies (my word, not his) and his sandals and he's set. If only it were that easy for those of us who's bodies seem to change by hour and who's wardrobes are limited b/c of that! Miracle of miracles is that so far all Tylers clothes and mine are fitting in the SAME suitcase! That's right folks! I don't even have my own suitcase full! Gary gets one for his clothes, toiletries, extras, and pillows (love these space saving bags!! I want to fill the house with them!!) In other news, Tyler got his vacation haircut yesterday. I thought for sure that when I ran to the restroom Gary would ask them to buzz cut him but he didn't. Kudo's to Gary. I wanted to thank everyone for thier support and prayer for our family with my grandpa's illness. We went to see him on Sunday and he had one of his best days in a long time my grandma said. He knew us, talked to us, and even wanted to hold and play with Tyler. He couldn't of course, but the fact that he wanted to touched me deeply. I'm so thankful that the Lord allowed him to know us for what was, most likely, our last visit. It's only a matter of days now and they are getting to the point where his pain cannot be managed at home. It just breaks my heart to know that, but I'm so thankful that all this time, he's known who my grandma is and has made sure to tell her when he can "thank you" and "I Love You". What a treasure.