Places to go, People to see

Like most parents, traveling does not happen as much as it did before kids for us. Being “stuck” in our hometown for the last 15 months, since our last family vacation is making me a bit stir crazy. Now that I am nearing the end of treatment, I am literally dreaming of all the places I want to go, and people I want to see!

I’m fairly certain that even when I can “get back to normal” with work and travel, it will be difficult to do so. I have not even been able to go an hour away with some of the things I have had going on at times. Being here and close to my doctors has taken precedent. Even if I could go far away and had the energy to do these things, avoiding germs has been doctor’s orders. Once these all are officially lifted, I think maybe we start small and try a day trip nearby perhaps. But a girl can dream!

Top of my list is a return to my college town and, of course, visit friends and family who live nearby. The Ville has always been my happy place. That Guy has told me in the past that when we get to a certain point in the mountains on the highway leading into town, he can literally see my face relax. I believe it. It feels that way. This is the last place we went as a family. Where I sat down right in the heart of the place when the OB-GYN called to confirm that my early bloodwork was good when I was just pregnant with That Baby Girl. Just a great opportunity to take it easy and enjoy the beautiful town/state with people we love. And to get back to our tradition of taking pictures annual photos of the (now two) girls for future applications and all.

Vacation of my dreams for the year is a trip to Disney. Having been out of work while sick and having a few more financially dependent goals that take priority, this one is really a dream. That said, going to Disney as a family somehow signifies the end of this disease for me. Like the ads when teams won the SuperBowl, when someone asks me what I’m going to do next, I kind of just feel like saying, “I’m going to Disney World!” just fits. Oh, the reach of marketing knows no limits!

For years, we went on a ski trip with That Guy’s college friends. Since many of us now have kids, people have moved further apart, work responsibilities are a bit more, well, stressful, and life happens, we have not been on a trip for the last few years. Getting the group back together is unlikely, but would be a pretty good feat for 2015! This one is all about the People to See for me!

Taking That Little Girl to New York City to see The Christmas Spectacular (Rockettes) was my plan for 2014. Obviously that did not happen! Now it moves to the list for 2015 and I’m torn between The Nutcracker and Rockettes. I’m thinking first a spring trip to make sure we have time to go to museums, Central Park, FAO Schwartz, and enjoy frozen hot chocolate like my childhood memories and then some new ideas all rolled into a long weekend? With the added bonus of seeing family, this one is going to happen!

That Guy wants to take the girls out west soon. We define out west a bit differently. I want to get back to Seattle, again People to See, while he is thinking mountains of Colorado. Let’s compromise and do both, ok?

Sometime in college, while That Guy and I were doing the long distance relationship, I was out at my spring formal and was told that Niagara Falls was eroding and would no longer exist. Having never been there, I thought this was an emergency. Of course, I called That Guy and explained we must go soon and since we had a trip to Montreal planned already let’s just combine them. Well, then he explained a map to me and driving distances and geography and well, erosion rates, and so we still haven’t been. So Niagara Falls it is!

A family vacation to our typical beach location is a must. Pretty sure my parents are going with or without us! Thank goodness That Guy and I did a quick (cold) getaway in early spring to Atlantic City! Still is not the same as a beach vacation, in my book. At least we saw water and sand! This is a good balance of people and place.

A lot of people may think it’s wrong, but there is a part of me that also wants a get away just That Guy and I. I know, I know, I should cherish every minute with our girls. I try, I really do. This may be the holidays and lack of routine talking, but I’m tired. That Guy is beyond tired. I’m not sure it matters where we go but an island sounds good. This trip has to wait until all treatments and procedures are done and I’m no longer photo-sensitive but holy moly. A book, naps in the sunshine under an umbrella, the sounds of waves, toes in the sand, yup, that’s what I need! This place is all about one person I need to see, That Guy. Pretty sure That Guy’s version of this trip is him on a mountain alone. Maybe in 2016 he can have that! And if I can’t talk him into that I suppose I can settle for Croatia.

Now I just have to figure out where to get the vacation time and funds to make these all happen! Even a two year itinerary seems ambitious to make all these happen with the steps in front of me. One at a time, though, I will see them all!