Traveling is a big part of our lives. We live 400 miles away from ‘home’, and seeing the cousins and grandparents regularly is a must. My husband’s job requires frequent travel. We also love to vacation and take weekend jaunts.
My husband’s and my worlds tend to collide when we travel as a family. My husband is the polished, suited executive who can pack in less than five minutes, make it through security with Ziploc of perfectly sized toiletries, board a plane with laptop and Starbucks in each hand, and deplane wrinkle free. I, however, am the frazzled mom of three who has a purse, camera bag, three backpacks, and twelve electronic devices for entertainment. I will have one child running shoeless after airport security, one that needs to use the bathroom NOW, and one on alert to look for ‘Mountain Dew’ signs because I had to give security my just-opened and much needed daily dose of caffeine.
We drive much more often than we fly, and I am somewhat more accomplished in traveling by car. I can identify every clean bathroom in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. My departure times perfectly avoid rush hour in the cities. I pack plenty of goodies and games for travel. Packing for myself is often a toss up though: I tend to forget shoes or socks, and usually have to go shopping to make it through the trip. Again, my husband is packed in less than five minutes. A less stressed traveler, he does not find it necessary to pack matchy hair bows for Miss J’s outfits, or care if E-Man’s suitcase if full of Mario Brothers t-shirts and sweat pants. He can load the car without an avalanche upon opening, a feat I have yet to master.
Our children’s favorite part of traveling is the hotel room. There is so much joy to be found in unwrapping glassware and jumping on a strange bed.
Somehow, all five of have returned from every travel adventure, which is total success in my book. Right?
