Cruise Director

I would love to say that every trip began with my husband and I pouring over websites and travel magazines while making detailed plans. What actually takes place is a series of minute conversations during the short blocks of time we have alone together. It’s the same conversation every time;
“We should go away”, I mumble while ironing my daughters uniform first thing in the morning.
“Yeah we should”, my husband will mumble back while tying his tie.
This time it’s a quick trip to New York City to visit with family, see some museums, and ride the subway. Usually I am completely organized for a trip, with possible itinerary lists and a neat pile of socks, underwear and a “good outfit” laid out in each of my kid’s rooms. I pre-iron everything that needs it and, on the day we leave, I’m up extra early bagging peanut butter sandwiches so no one will get cranky while traveling.
But on this trip I dropped the ball. I was so wrapped up with my school work that I ran out of time and told my children to pack them selves. They managed to remember the appropriate number of socks and underwear, but the “good outfits” didn’t quite make it all the way into their bags. We had the dress, but not the shoes for my daughter, and my son managed to get his nice pants and a long sleeved oxford into his bag, but forgot the belt, which he really does need to hold up his pants.

It turned out fine. We made it to church this morning and we all looked great, and I had a little epiphany while listening to the boys choir fill up the pointed arches of the church; that all the planning in the world can’t guarantee a perfect time. I know that this isn’t an earth-shattering kind of realization, and it just shrieks to be placed on a Hallmark greeting card under a glossy picture of a sunset or something. But that simple idea helped me regroup my thoughts.

I realized that even though I let careful packing fall off my radar, and even though I know I never again want to stand in front of my closet ½ an hour before leaving for vacation trying to pack my bag with matching clothes, this slap-dash trip turned out to be one of the most fun we’ve had as a family.
Will it stick? Will I be able to leave the cruise directors hat behind for our next vacation? I think so, after all, nobody seemed to miss the planned itinerary, or my peanut butter sandwiches.