Hopefully, I'm in England by the Time You Read This, TToT Week 53

I am sitting to write this post on Tuesday at 10:00 am.  Exactly 20 hours before my plane to Toronto will be taking off.

All I can think to write is, "FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, WHO THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA FOR ME TO LEAVE FOR 10 WHOLE DAYS?!?!?!?!?"  10 days!  Do you know what it's like to get all of these children and a grandma and a husband prepared for me to leave for 10 days?!?!  Great googly moogly, the lists and the logistics and the packing and the everything.  This was a bad idea, People!

But, the moment my rear hits the seat, I will be just fine.  I'm going on vacation in Europe!!!  Who cares if a kid misses a soccer practice? NO ONE!  Is it really a big deal if I forgot to stock the pantry with peanut butter?  NO! My mom is capable of going to the store.  Will the children be scarred for life if they watch TV or play video games for 5 days straight?  Probably!

It's time to get my head out of the panic it is trying to fall into and get excited.

I have way too many things for which to be thankful to be focusing on the panic.

1.  I am thankful that the physical therapy worked it's magic.  I will be able to walk and have fun despite the traumatized knee. (I know, I've listed this every week for weeks now.  It's a super big deal!)

2.  I am thankful for my responsible kids.  I can leave them without too much worry about things going on here at home.  They will help my mom take care of the little boys.  They will take care of the animals and do laundry and help with the cooking and cleaning.  They will listen to my mom and not cause her the least bit of grief.

3.  I am thankful for helpful friends.  A good friend will be taking Turken to his baseball game on Thursday so Bryan can stay at work until normal time and get the last minute things done before he joins me in England.

4.  I am thankful to have the chance to meet up with friends in England.  Not only does Bryan NOT hold a grudge, he encouraged me to go early to have some fun with my friends.  I will be spending 2 nights with a friend whose family moved there for a few years for her husband's job.  We will be getting all fancied up to attend the Royal Ascot.  I'll get to see the queen.  And then, I'll be spending one night with our TToT creator Lizzi.  Her mom and aunt are hosting a tea for me, and her sister will be making "the best chocolate cake in the world".  We are going to have so much fun!

5.  I am thankful that I checked the weather forecast for London before I packed.  I was set to pack nothing but shorts and short sleeved shirts.  I mean, it's been 80+ here for weeks, and London isn't that much farther north.  Fortunately, I did a quick check, then called my friend in England to double check.  Yeah.  She has yet to wear a pair of shorts.  Change of plans! Jeans, sweaters, and a jacket are now on the list.

6.  I am thankful for Bryan's planning.  He has gotten the paperwork and passports all set, made all reservations, and looked into the best way to do things while over there.  He bought us London passes, which means free public transportation and free admittance to 55 different places in and around London.  Included in the 55 places are popular tours, like Windsor Castle, but also obscure little places, like Ben Franklin's house.  We're going to have so much fun, and I didn't have to do any of the planning for it!

7.  I am thankful for the couple who watches our animals.  My mom is not a fan of taking care of the animals and she has to have the kids at camp early each morning, so I asked our farm sitters to come in the mornings.  She is rarely unavailable, and I appreciate her willingness to help when I call at the last minute.

8.  I am beyond thankful for my mom.  I am thankful she is healthy.  I am thankful that she is willing to come take care of my kids for an entire week.  I am thankful for her personality and attitude, which practically guaranties my kids a fun week without us.  My mom was a fantastic mom while I grew up.  She raised us to be fun, easy-going, responsible and kind.  I learned so much about being a good mom from her.  I am thrilled that my kids have the opportunity to know her and learn from her and enjoy her company.

9.  I am thankful for my decision 27 years ago to join the high school swim team.  Back then, I never would have guessed that one of the boys doing synchronized warm-up laps would end up being my husband.

10.  Thankful doesn't even come close to expressing my feelings for that boy I met on the swim team.  Next week we will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.  It is just plain shocking to me.  I still see us as that goofy, nerdy couple we were in high school.  Sure, there are 6 kids and a farm and an old house and jobs and responsibilities circling us, but in our little nucleus, we're the same.  I am going to have fun leaving that circle of chaos behind in order to simply enjoy my dear husband's company for an entire week.

(I've written a couple other posts about Bryan and me.  One with lots of pictures from the last 20 years and the other about our wedding day.  It has lots of photos, too.  Feel free to peruse.)

Alrighty folks.  Time for you to link up and tell us all about the good things from your week!

Have a lovely day!

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