June 18, 2006

• 5 hours. The packing is done. Instructions given. Father’s day gifts opened. Ipod loaded. Clothes laundered. Room cleaned.

  
  

  5 more hours.

  
  

  Then we put her on an airplane headed for LA and from there to London.

  
  

  The last few days have been a frenzy of shopping, cleaning and packing. Now, we are done and nothing is left but to wait. She leaves out of Maui tonight, and flies overnight to LA. There they have a 12 hour lay over, but they have a day hotel where they can sleep, shower, use the pool facilities etc. Then tomorrow night she heads out for London. Wow. I am so excited for her!! Man to have an opportunity like this when you are 14…. what a great chance!!!

  
  

  So, some of the many things we have purchased in the last week or so….

  
  

  First: We of course need something to put our crap in!

  
  

      and of course we needed a new carry on….   (but the one we got was beige).

  
  

  Next: the old ones were evidently too “grungy” for a nice trip like this. Although she is taking them for the hiking and castle rappeling adventures so they new ones don’t get messed up. They are named: Sonny and Cher (the old ones are Bonnie and Clyde).

  
  

  

  
  

   

  
  

  She also got

  
  

   

  
  

  

  
  

      and a host of other clothes. What she is most excited about though….

  
  

  

  
  

  Why did she get a new ipod video for the trip. Well… it’s long and complex. Her ipod which she baby sat for a year for died. It continued to malfunction, regardless of her dad’s best efforts. She was going to take her sisters mini — but. the camera converter that allowed her to upload her digital pictures didn’t work with that. We tried my nano… nope won’t work either. The ipod video was the final option. That allows her to have music, upload her photos so she doesn’t have to worry about storage room on her memory cards, and as an added benefit allowed her to download a few movies so she can watch on the plane etc. …. I know, I know.. but she’s agreed to pay us back 1/2 the cost, and give her old ipod to her dad (he’s going to fix it for himself– hopefully).

  
  

  In addition: we got this for Squirt — she’s been wanting them forever and we can never find her size here. In addition, since we bought the above for SF, we made the same agreement with Squirt…. she’ll pay 1/2 of her new Heelys.

  
  

  

  
  

   

  
  

  As a final expenditure, we upgraded our phones, and added a line so that Squirt can keep in contact (and we can track her down) while in CA.

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  So… now we are totally broke (luckily we paid all the bills first!!) and looking forward to the end of summer expenses! I told the girls that since they both got new clothes, shoes, bags, purses and accessories that their Back-to-School shopping was done! No mas! Most things are now paid for though… so that’s good. It’s all front loaded!!!

  
  

  I’m off to get ready for church. After which we are going out to dinner, and then it’s off to the airport. Wish us luck (I know I’m going to cry).

  
  

   

  
  

  
  

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  Well that’s that. With lots of smiles, luggage and final waves and I love you signs… she went through security and up the escalator without a look back.

  
  

  I’m so excited for her. Yet, my baby is growing up.

  
  

  Quite a day.

  
  

  She’s off.

  • 9:37 pm
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