(43-294) Luis' Big Trip

In May 1994 Luis moved from Puerto Vallarta to New York, so that we could get married.  And in the seventeen years that he's been here, we've never spent more than three nights apart; until now.  We'd been married for four years, the first time that Luis went away over night without me.  And the only reason that I was amenable to it, was because he was going treasure hunting.  YES, you read that right.  I said treasure hunting.  We were at home in Puerto Vallarta, and Luis and his brother's drove out to the town where Luis was born (about three hours away), and they took Luis' metal detector so that they could look for gold that their grandfather had buried on his property a long, long, time ago.  Yep, the prospect of finding gold felt like a good enough reason to be separated for an evening.  Alas, no treasure was found that night; but one returned to me.

Two years later, Luis had to go to Northern California for his Aunt's funeral; so we apart for a couple of nights. (Two or three I think.  I can't exactly remember.)  And then of course there were the SMF trips to Laughlin and Vegas; but if I'm not mistaken, I think those were only two night stays. I've had a few nights away from home myself.  There was my 40th birthday Scraptacular weekend, CHA with Rachel for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out; as well as Rachel's 40th birthday party weekend.

Truth be told, I don't like to be away from my family.  I prefer to travel with them; but given this economy and the fact that we didn't feel safe planning a road trip to Puerto Vallarta this year; it seemed only fair that Luis should go home without us. 

I dropped Luis at the airport this morning and although I was nervous about him being gone for a week, I was sincerely happy that he was going to see his family and spend quality time with them. When I picked my kids up from school, they told me that they already missed Luis.  I assured them that they would speak to him every day, and that we would keep very busy this week so that the time would pass quickly.  Luis called tonight and spoke to everyone, even Hershey who barked when I said that Daddy was on the phone.  He sounded very happy and relaxed and he truly deserves to be. 

I hope that Luis and my in-laws have a wonderful visit, and that the kids and I aren't too stressed by his absence.  I'm going to encourage everyone (myself included), to use this week to realize how much Luis does for us and how much we love, respect and value him. 
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-218) Why Lyndzi?

The other day I told you that I had "VERY Big News."  I shared that my daughter, Lyndzi, my cousin, Jackie and I are going to be taking a trip to New York to celebrate my 44th birthday.  I mentioned that I decided to take one of my kids with me and that Lyndzi seemed like the perfect choice; but I didn't say why.  Since that post, I've spoken with a number of my friends and although everyone is very glad that I'm bringing Lyndzi; they all seem to want to know how I made my choice. They all want to know; why Lyndzi? 

When I first considered asking one of my children to come to New York with me; I thought about who would enjoy the trip the most; and hands down the answer was Lyndzi.  Although all three of my kids can be picky eaters; Lyndzi is the most adventurous diner.  Lyndzi enjoys trying different foods, where with Nicky and Kelsie, it can be like pulling teeth to get them to try something new.  Since I was planning to eat in China town as well go out for Italian food; Lyndzi seemed like the logical choice because I knew that she would enjoy these meals more than Nicky and Kelsie would; and the same may be said for "Mamma Mia."  All three of my kids like musicals, and both Lyndzi and Kelsie adore ABBA, but I think that Lyndzi is at an age where she'll really be able to appreciate the show, more than Kelsie would; and I didn't think that "Mamma Mia" was up Nicky's alley.  Then there's the whole patience thang.  Lyndzi is extraordinarily complacent, patient and considerate; and honestly,the same may be said for Nicky.  Whereas Kelsie is seven. Nicky and Lyndzi are usually very shy, so Kelsie always appears to be the friendliest of the three.  She's also naturally outgoing and a great conversationalist; but patience and consideration are two traits that my youngest daughter needs to work on.  Lyndzi on the other hand, will sit and draw for hours on end; and she finds it very easy to entertain herself.  Lastly, but certainly not least; I really relish the idea of introducing everyone to my little ray of sunshine.   Lyndzi is such a joy to be around and her positivity is contagious; therefore, she is a gift that I would love to share.

It was very difficult for me to only invite one of my children on this momentous trip; but I assured them that they will each have an opportunity to travel with me at some point.  I was very proud of all of my kids and the way that they handled my decision to take Lyndzi with me.  Lyndzi didn't gloat or act overly excited; and Nicky and Kelsie didn't question my choice or make me feel guilty about it.  Are these some special kids or what? 

With each passing day, I get increasingly excited about our trip; which I've had to extend by a couple of days, by the way.  I am so delighted that Lyndzi AND Jackie will be joining me on my return to New York; and I can't wait to revisit my past with them; and celebrate my future.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING