Vacation Marathon

I sometimes tell myself that I’m not Type A and that the occasional whispers from my brain to relax are probably just the siren call of laziness.  Then I do something like get ready for a vacation to a foreign country I could barely locate on a map and had only two references for: Yul Brynner courtesy of The King and I and Murray Head’s One Night in Bangkok.

For weeks, I arranged the sixteen-day schedule of the seven rotating babysitters in charge of our four children while Mike and I were gone.  Complete with eight pages of written instruction and babysitters lined up for my babysitters.  For purposes of their emotional sanity.  I had the van tires rotated, bought shoes, bought pants that zip away to be shorts, shopped REI for a skirt.  (Being proud of my cheapness, I have to justify these purchases.  I’ve been pregnant for five of the last eight summers.  One ended in miscarriage.  Before this trip to the hottest metropolis in the world, my non-maternity summer clothes consisted of tee shirts I bought in high school, tee shirts I bought in junior high, and tee shirts other people bought in high school and junior high and then discarded.)

I used all of the ripe lettuce in the garden lest it wilt before we got home, organized the fridge, cleaned out my dresser drawers so that my sister-in-law could use them while she lived in our house.  I bought snacks and meals for while I was gone.  I bought more snacks and meals—crappier ones with lots of hydrogenated oils so that my kids would be sure to eat them without giving their sitters any trouble.

I was so exhausted—oh, and I did all of this while having house guests (my awesome sister and her family), hosting a Fourth of July fireworks party, and trying to get new tenants in our Provo rental.  By the final stretch I told Mike, “I don’t need Thailand.  I need a dark cave.  For sleeping.”

Good thing Thailand is famous for its dark caves.  I had so, so, so much fun.  Thanks to Giovanna, Karen, Eric, Nate, Kenny, Christine, and John for watching my kids!!  I will blog our various Asian adventures in later posts.  I have vowed, upon returning, to be more relaxed.  I have a list of instructions for this.  (Of course I’m serious.  Does anyone doubt that?)