Nothing like a mid-week wake-up at 4 a.m. for a 6:10 a.m. flight. Ahh, work travel. Yes, I earn points and yes, I get peanuts and a free drink every once in a while, but waking up in the 4s ain't making it fun.
This week is one of those plum ol' busy weeks. With the usual activities of school, work, tumbling, horse riding, gymnastics, laundry and making dinner, we had a couple of new entrants on the schedule. The familiar bounce of high school basketball made it's way back. With that, we get an out-of-town tournament. Not for me, but for G. (Hey, that rhymes). Also, Chris and I head to Lubbock for his Red Raider orientation. Guns Up? Wreck 'em? New slogans to learn and a new drive to learn.
Easy to solve those traveling parent issues because I have and a sister in town and some amazing babysitters. Someone to get the Camille to gymnastics with Caroline in tow, check (thanks Jessica). Someplace for the girls to spend the night Thursday, check (thanks Julie and Andy). Someone to watch the girls Friday p.m. until Chris and I arrive home, check (thanks Avery and Natalie). Joy that my children are being taken care of and tended to. Whew.
But, wow. That's a lot of planning to put into play. Finding the people to help is almost the easiest step. Again, I'm super blessed because I have a sister, a bevy of babysitters and my parents in town. I can usually, almost pretty much always, find someone to help drive, go, watch, etc. Now, I'm jinxed, right?!
It's the other stuff which ranges from the letter with the insurance card lining out the attendees to my children can help with medical decisions in my absence to packing an overnight bag. Oh, but wait, there's school and activities. That means lunch stuff needs to make its' way to my sister's house and the clothes and the hair bobs. Oh, and the Advent calendars because that started today and my girls are not missing a piece of chocolate on day 2 (in the morning, don't judge).
It also means leaving notes and checks and keys and lists for the sitters. And, it means texts galore. Yeah, I over prepare. Have you read this blog?
Oh, and the packing and planning for Chris and I to get out of here -- hoping I have the latest shot record for this orientation and really know how to make this drive to a new place.
Can you understand why the 6:10 a.m. flight really didn't come at the ideal time?
I'm going on an OK amount of sleep from last night but know a six-hour drive will sap some of that energy. But I've planned a stop along the way where Chris and I can eat.
In a Christmas miracle-like fashion, I did get a fourth part yesterday and each day this week. I watched a little TV most nights, read and the best fourth part was last night on the return flight home (delayed until 8:05 p.m. -- it was a loooong work day).
I traveled with two work friends who are also my friend friends. We haven't sat on the same row on a flight in a while and it was pure joy. We had good gossip to cover (I prayed for forgiveness last night) and work stuff to discuss. So productive, so fun. We laughed hard. Like I had tears rolling down my cheeks at one point. We even dressed a like yesterday - black and white. Dresses and skirts and we usually are the pants' travel crowd -- which would have been black by the way.
Earlier in the work day, I did have lunch with a work friend who is a friend friend. Man, if she would have been on that flight home, we would have truly been in hysterics -- but she would have had to sat on our laps or across the aisle and we would have shared our crazy all over the place. She was wearing black and white, too, by the way. And, a dress. Wow, that's nuts.
With all the planning for this busy week and the work trip, my perfect fourth part was at a work lunch and a work flight home. No cocktails were involved but because we were all a wee bit tired, the laughs and the stories flowed instead. To let you in on how trusting these friendships are, one of my travel mates grabbed my phone to go through my Facebook to find something (maybe someone!?). No worries.
Please know, all four of us have had tough times with each other. Strained relationships and difficult conversations have played out between us. And, we still are friends. I trust the three of them on any and all projects at work. I trust them with confidential information about my work life.
I also trust them enough to ask them to watch my girls and hold the letter of medical decision making. I could easily add them to my bevy of babysitters. They would do it. Planning would be required as they all go in many directions themselves with their families and their home lives. It could be done.
Those are some good friends. Even at 6:10 a.m. (which by the way, all of them took later flights -- one even the night before -- thanks for that solo flight at the crack of dawn?!) and at a work lunch and at a delayed night flight home.
Guess what? They all encouraged me for this six-hour drive I make today and are praying me safely through it. And, most importantly, praying me through this chapter and latest change in my life.
Good friends. Friend friends,
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