The Journey of a Thousand Miles

The journey of 1,000 miles begins with...a suitcase! It's been packed since Monday.  Of course there's a few odds and ends that have to be added before we zip it shut on US soil only to open it up in...drum roll...

New Zealand!!!

Two years ago, Jim and I decided that we'd like to take a big trip for our 25th wedding anniversary.  New Zealand quickly emerged as a top choice--who wouldn't love to go there?  The scenery is beautiful, the people are kind and welcoming, and best of all who wouldn't want to ride in a GIGANTIC airplane for 13 hours? Ok, so the last one is just a side benefit (?) of traveling across the international date line and over the Pacific Ocean, but we're planning to make the best of it.  Between us we have two computers, two digital readers (Nook and Kindle), a Netflix subscription, Sudoku and airplane movies if we're really desperate.  

To be honest, I'm so excited that I can't even think about what to write.  Two thoughts are running through my head though:  I am so thankful!  I'm thankful that my husband is a GREAT saver, I'm thankful that he loves to travel, I'm thankful that we have the time/ability to travel, I'm thankful that even though my kids are adults (another thing for which I'm thankful), there are many loving people who will "look out for them."   The second thing I'm thinking about is that I'm really going to miss my kids.  Travel's been a big part of our family history.  As soon as four weeks after they were born, my kids all went on trips.  But this is a new page in our history:  my kids stand on their own feet, and Jim and I open a new chapter of our lives.

Jim summed it up with this text sent at 8:00 p.m. "This time tomorrow - LA!"