The Big Trip

Today I leave to meet my four college roommates in Florida for our ten-year anniversary of our college senior year, when we lived together in a mostly trashed apartment in Iowa City and cemented our friendship.

Already there is drama.

My friend C. called this morning at 7 a.m. to say K., who we all know suffers from airplane phobia, is suffering from airplane phobia and is afraid to fly alone. I can't say I'm surprised - she has never flown in her life, let alone alone and on two different airplanes from Iowa to Florida.  However, as I have a conference call starting any minute, I am powerless to do anything about it.

Here I sit, wondering if K. will appear on the other end.  It would be unfortunate if she did not, as she did all the trip planning and has all of our money for the hotel room and rental car.  I'm sure it will all work out, but for now, the drama.

On a high note, this morning as the little angel and I were playing in her room, she pulled a photo of me, Sister Little and my two closest female cousins out of the random drawer in her room.  I was pregnant with her at the time of the photo.  She looked at the photo.  "Mama," she said.

Then she looked at me quizzically.

Back at the photo.

Back at me.

How can I be two places at once?

Life is so unfair. 

I sort of wish I could be two places at once this weekend - with my girlfriends, be they four or three, and with my beloved and the little angel.  I tried to explain that to the little angel, but she just ditched the photo and the conversation in favor of a pretty ribbon.