getting ready

I am traveling to meet Talia and Tobias alone this trip.  The reason I am traveling alone is so that Mike can stay with our other kids.  Although I would LOVE for him to go with me it will work out much better for him to be here with them.  This is a huge break in our routine!  Mike has gone on overnight fishing trips on occasion but Mama just never leaves.  One weekend each fall Mike and I try to go to the marriage conference with some other couples from our Church but that's only one night and that's it. We do foster parent training (also one night) but more often than not some kids go with us. The rest of the time they go where I go.  Mike will do a great job with them.  I hope they are good for him but he is capable of handling them.  He will have to work though and so we are bringing in our oldest daughter Mary Carol and her new baby Elaina to help out.  Pamela who is 2 years younger than MC and has her own daughter Payton, will be around to help as well.  Both of them will enjoy spending time together.  The kids will still have school and that is a good thing because the whole week will be "off schedule" so the more we can keep the same the better.  Its only for a week and as a special treat I got tickets for them to go to Disney on Ice!  So I have a LOT of work ahead to get things ready for the trip.  I have to make sure Mike has everything he needs for the week.  Meal plans and the fixins. Uniforms for the kids ready.  I will not schedule any appointments for that week.  Some fun toys and games to "encourage" the kids to be on their best behavior. (I laugh as I type this!)  Bills all paid up and lunch money in their accounts.  Then I have to get myself ready!  Money converted, my suitcase packed. Some fun activities for the long flight (to encourage ME to be on my best behavior!).  Snacks for me.  So these next few weeks will go by rather quickly.  I have a whole notebook full of travel tips and lists. If you know me you know I make lists for everything!  It won't be long now!