I take the red-eye on Tuesday night from Anchorage to Boston with Olive.
Her first flight.
My first time flying with a kid with healthy lungs.
On my To-Do list, long enough to wrap my house, is to go to Home Depot or Lowe's and pick up a pack of disposable ear plugs to put in zip lock bags with Hershey kisses so I can hand them out to all the travelers seated around us.
A friend from hockey gave me this idea, and she may have been joking but I love the concept of apologizing in advance for their disrupted flight. This way when her siren rings I'll at least be comforted by the idea that I pre-warned folks and gave them a smidgen of comfort as well.
You may not hear from me again till next week, when I'm settled on the Cape with my parents, after the craziness of trip preparation, saying goodbye to Nick and Elias (until they fly out on the 24th), and attending my 20th high school reunion at the boarding school campus where I lived from birth until graduation. My first home.
I had wanted to write a Mother's day post, but as most of you know, often motherhood itself trumps our needs as individuals. Parenting extends us beyond the self, stretching our hearts and brains and souls in ways we never dreamed we could move, never knew we had it in us to bend and flex and grow, until we don't recognize the person in the mirror or the voice that is ours.
We no longer fit into our old habits and clothes.
The line that defines us blurs, as our children reach for us with their raspberry jam hands and without a second thought we reach right back, perfectly at home.
Travel safely. Give us a call when you are about to leave Portland. Can't wait to see you guys and the boys later.
Posted by: Mom | 05/10/2010 at 10:42 AM
The paragraph about wanting to write a Mothers' Day post but parenthood getting in the way was a gem in itself! I had bogged down in the middle of a Mothers' Day email to my grown sons, trying to thank them for being who they were - and are - to me. Your brief sentences are what I was trying to say! Thank you for putting it so well.
Posted by: Linda | 05/10/2010 at 12:53 PM
Christy, you've lost your mind!! Surely you have a million things to do before you go away for two weeks. Putting together goodie bags for people on the plane should not be on it. Besides, do you remember how much crap you're going to have to carry on the plane anyway? Don't worry about it. Everyone's been on a plane with babies screaming, and I can almost guarantee that Olive will sleep better on the flight than you will. Oh, and see you Friday night!! :-)
Posted by: Brooke | 05/10/2010 at 02:47 PM
Christy, I look forward to seeing you Friday night! Hope the traveling goes well!
Posted by: Duffy | 05/10/2010 at 03:06 PM
Safe travels, you two! I wish you calm and quietish skies.
:-)
Posted by: Ginna | 05/10/2010 at 03:41 PM
HI Christy!
Pack lots of layers, its cold here in New England right now! Although, while you're here, that could change! Have a safe flight =)
Posted by: Karen | 05/11/2010 at 06:01 AM
Wishing you a safe and fun trip. I just had to share this Mother's Day blog from another very "Special" mom with you. http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com/2010/05/top-20-reasons-moms-of-kids-with.html
You are all she says, and so much more.
Posted by: Barb in Michigan | 05/11/2010 at 06:48 AM
Thanks for sharing Barb--I loved this post!!!!! And thank you for your kind words:)
You too Linda!
And Karen I will have my layers packed and Brooke as crazy as it is I do have some snack bags with earplugs and chocolate and I figure at the very least I can eat all the chocolate:) See you and Duffy soon!
Posted by: Christy | 05/11/2010 at 07:36 AM