What do you choose to repeat from your childhood, and what do you choose to change?
There are many, many things about my childhood that I insist on repeating. I live in an old house, we must do a week at the Jersey Shore every summer, I am brand loyal with products my mom preferred, the kids are involved in similar activities, and every holiday is a carbon copy of my memory. "I know you can read, but your father will be reciting 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and you will sit there and you will enjoy it and you will fondly remember it forever!"
From what I can gather, my mother didn't have a stable childhood, so the things I am perpetuating are the very things she likely chose to do differently. I'm certain she'd be happy about that.
There are some things, however, I have chosen to change. For instance, the toilet paper of my youth always, always rolled under. I craved a thrilling departure in my own home, so I deliberately made the switch. Come to my house any day and check for yourself. We are proud over-rollers and everyone who lives here, and has the power or inclination to change out an empty cylinder, has received the
I didn't travel much growing up and never overseas and this I most definitely wanted to change. My first trips outside the country were to islands. Doesn't really count. We went to St. Lucia for our honeymoon, but it's hard to have an international experience when you never venture beyond the resort and you're completely surrounded by other honeymooning American couples.
Ten years ago last spring, when I was pregnant with Lu, Jon and I went to Scotland. Finally, Europe. We had no itinerary. We rented a car in Edinburgh and logged 600 miles. We visited the Murray castle, possible (probable) home of my ancestors. It was beautiful and sophisticated with roaming peacocks. We wanted to visit a MacKenzie castle but the MacKenzies were war-prone highlander ruffians and all their castles have been destroyed.
In the midst of our travels and on the cusp of becoming new parents, I swore we'd return with children in backpacks. Our family would explore the world. We would be adventurous and unafraid!
It's true, we've travelled consistently since Scotland. At least once a year. Typically in March and usually to Disney World or a (doesn't really count) tropical destination. But that kid-in-a-backpack-in-a-foreign-land scenario sounded much better before we had the kid. Then we had two. Now we have three.
When we started discussing ideas for this year's vacation, it occurred to me that the older girls are pretty independent and I'm a much more relaxed mom with Bea. Maybe it was time to go further. Maybe we could actually be that family who takes their kids to Europe.
So a week ago last Tuesday, we all headed to the airport for an overnight flight to London. Such excitement! We got a ride to the airport. It was empty! We checked our luggage and proceeded to security. Here we go!
Jon, aka keeper of the documents/official and important paperwork completer/man who never misses a detail, pulled out our passports including the newly minted one for Bea, secured months ago to avoid any extra fees. The woman started flipping through them and then paused. Looked up. Looked down. Looked up again at me and said, "Did you know your passport expired last year?" Well, no, but of course it did. I got it for Scotland. More than ten years ago. Damn. Jon was stunned and mad at himself. But it's my passport and I can do very basic math. Ten years = expired. They don't make exceptions either. Not even if you crack a joke, then cry a little, are holding a super cute baby, and have fresh blond highlights. I wasn't going to England.
Lu was a panicky mess, Jon was eerily quiet, Bea was getting tired and Edy was happily dancing to the music in her head. I pulled myself together and realized I could rise to this challenge. One thing about experiencing very terrible, uncontrollable things like cancer, when you're faced with situations that aren't ideal, but definitely manageable, you don't let them topple you. You manage.
They allowed us through security (thanks, fresh blond highlights!) to the gate where we talked to a helpful man from US Air. He told me where I could get a same day passport (not a dark alley) and the steps needed. Jon would take the big girls to London that night and I would get 'er done on Wednesday, then head out Wednesday night with Bea.
While the majority of my family jetted off without me, I went on line and printed out appropriate paperwork, I completed appropriate paperwork appropriately, I made an appointment at the passport agency, I had photos taken at CVS (not bad, actually), I drove downtown and waited to apply for a same day passport (interesting folks in that line!), I drove back home because it wouldn't be ready for several hours, I then drove back downtown to pick up same day passport and waited with fellow desperate people, I maneuvered through the Philly airport alone, I flew across the ocean overnight with a baby who needed constant attention while awake and drooled and snotted all over me while asleep, I changed her in an airplane bathroom (eww), I maneuvered Heathrow alone, I mapped out the London Underground and successfully changed trains during rush hour, I tried not to look like I was about to collapse, I finally reunited my family. Then I collapsed. Then we had an amazing trip.
Gail's twins deserve major, major credit for helping me pull it off. Scott picked me up from the airport on Tuesday night because I couldn't bear to ask my super nice neighbor to circle back. Scott let me give him money for a tank of gas :) and that made me feel better. Then Nicole watched Bea all Wednesday and drove me back to the airport. They are two of the best people I know.
London was an outstanding city to explore with kids. We did about 100 tours and spent an estimated 1,000 hours traveling on "the tube." We bought $10 chocolate bars (not an exaggeration) at Harrods which Jon referenced all week. We walked from Buckingham Palace, through Hyde Park, through Kensington Park, to Kensington Palace because it all looks a lot closer on a map. I made a fancy latte every day in the hotel's executive lounge. We saw the Queen's motorcade! We watched tons and tons of soccer, both live and on TV. I treated myself to royal wedding commemorative trinkets. We got excited every time we saw a classic red phone booth, even the ones with dirty pictures inside. We slept in a very small room and loved the closeness.
We are a family who takes their kids to Europe!
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