On February 18th, will someone please remind me to have a drink?  I will definitely need one,two, or maybe five margaritas, oh,  and possibly some spare prayers too.  On February 18th, I will be traveling with all three of my children to Florida by myself.  Yes, that is me, my  highly competent 7 year old daughter, my incredibly mischievous 4 year old son, and my one year old acrobat of a daughter will be navigating colored homeland security threats, enormous x ray machines, and no doubt a myriad of flight delays all so that we may see the sun. 

When my parents suggested the trip, I came up with all of the excuses a good mom is supposed to use.  I argued about Ab missing school, about the cost of tickets, and about the hassles of traveling.  But let's face it, after months of grey skies, frozen toes, and no green vegetation, the arguments were weak. I broke only after 8 inches of snow and an ice storm last week.  After I was inside for 2 days with three kids  . . . and  my husband.  In a moment of weakness, after E. had just used my living room furniture as lilly pads to hop across the "pond", I broke down and called my dad.

"Book the tickets! I can't take being inside for one more minute!"

My dad laughed knowingly and said, "I saw the weather. I thought you might call."

Good old dad!  I look forward to the sun . . . and my margaritas.