Documentation of a First Mate's State of Mind-Warning, it Ain't Pretty!

When preparing for a vacation, I'm one of those annoying people who enjoys the planning process, talks about it constantly and creates a "countdown calendar" marking days off until departure. I like the anticipation and daydreaming of what will be.

This trip is different. Probably because it is not just a vacation, but more a sabbatical from our life. There is no countdown calendar because that would just freak me out as to HOW MUCH needs to be done before we leave.

There is still the excitement of what is to come, but today the preparations are overwhelming (I am also tired and I have a cold, which doesn't help). Tomorrow I will have a more grounded, clear perspective and find more enjoyment in the process. This particular trip preparation is like a roller coaster. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from the Steve Martin movie, Parenthood:

(Grandma talking about riding a roller coaster)

"I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it."

I've always liked roller coasters, too!! Today I'm just in the "sick, scared" part of the ride!

While driving the kids to the dentist, I realized I was creating a list in my head as a coping mechanism to reel my mind back in.

Things I Will Miss
*Family and friends
*Air Conditioning
*Driving a car
*Having a freezer w/ meals ready to microwave (and ice cream)
*Pizza delivery
*Drinking water out of the tap
*My king size bed
*Holidays with the family
*Privacy
*Girlfriend time
*2 bathrooms
*Folding laundry while watching a Giant's game
*Getting a haircut, color and style
*Ice cold beer

Things I'm Looking Forward To
*Seeing new places; traveling
*Sailing instead of driving
*Improving my Spanish
*Not having a garage full of things we don't use and having only what we really need
*Swimming with dolphins
*Our new neighbors; the whales, sea turtles, dolphins, etc.
*Making new friends
*Snorkeling in clear, blue waters
*Reading and writing more
*Slowing down
*Sunrise after a night watch; drinking a cup coffee
*Watching my kids witness different ways of life, cultures and being able to explore and learn in a new way
*Becoming a confident sailor

So there it is! In a few months, while anchoring off the coast of Mexico, I can reflect and have a good chuckle at the expense of the stressed out and hysterical Molly who wrote this post. I wonder if they have roller coasters in Mexico??? =)

Molly