Preparation

              Though I am extremely excited about my trip to New Orleans, it has been extremely difficult to actually really prepare for it.  The last few weeks my life has been consumed with neuro disorders, ATI testing, and presentation after presentation, and then finals.  I have finals leading up to the day we leave for the trip.  Every once in a while I have had a random thought or question about the trip, like do I need to bring my textbooks?  In these cases I just take two seconds away from what I am studying and email the instructor to ask.  My goal today is to do all the laundry and pack.  In real life I know this is not going to happen; I am going to be consumed by studying for ATI test tomorrow, so maybe it will get done tomorrow. 

                Before I get any further in this blog let me explain a little about myself.  I have two girls, Ava is 10 and Adalyn is 8.  When it comes to family vacations I am not much of a planner; for example, we went to Rhode Island in November and it was planned about a week before we left.  The same goes for packing, I seem to always pack our bags last minute.  Not so much the girls’ luggage but definitely mine.  The girls’ bags are packed well in advance; their American Girl dolls even have their luggage packed before I get around to actually preparing my luggage.  But with all of that said, I am really good at making the “what needs to be packed list.”  For this trip, that hasn’t changed.  I have down the necessities: under garments, clothes to get me through the trip (which involves a little shopping), shampoo, conditioner, face wash, makeup, makeup remover, straighter, crimper, shoes, medicine, ankle brace (because I have bone spurs and my ankle likes to swell up like I have fluid retention), textbook needed for the course, laptop, phone charger, phone, camera, camera charger, snacks, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, pillow and blanket.  Though this list seems long, I am almost positive I have forgotten something and will have to find a Target, Walmart, Walgreens, or a local store when I get there to buy the thing or things I forgot.  It will be interesting for me to pack just for myself this trip and not my children and their dolls.  Because I have young children, I had to make arrangements for when I was gone.  These arrangements actually started when I was chosen to go on the trip.  My husband took the week off from seeing patients so he could be with the girls before and after school.  He has meetings two days that week where I had to ask my mom and a close friend to get the girls from school.  Luckily, since my husband will be home at a reasonable time from his meetings he will be able to take the girls to their sporting events and practices.  Sunday night before we leave, I will have to set out the girls’ outfits for the week.  My poor husband struggles with matching their clothes so it’s just best if I do it before hand.  Other than those few small things, I did not have to prepare much for my trip when it comes to family life. 

                One of the best things about going out of town, other than going out of town, is I normally get to shop for something in preparation for the trip.  For my upcoming trip to New Orleans there are a few things on my shopping list I want to get before I leave.  Shoes are the first thing on my list.  Unfortunately, I won’t be able to really wear the shoes in New Orleans because I haven’t broken them in, but I get new shoes so that is a positive.  I also need to shop for more clothes.  On this trip we can wear more comfortable clothing.  I have comfortable clothing but not eight days’ worth.  We were told there are laundry facilities at the hotel but with our busy itinerary I don’t want to bank on the idea of me doing laundry while I am there, so more shopping for me.  Out by where I live they have opened a new HyVee store which I am honestly addicted to; I am aware that it is an odd addiction but the store is amazing.  So I am pleased that I will have to go there to get snacks for the train and for our hotel room.  I think it is important to have snacks and beverages in your room so you are not living off a vending machine when you are on vacation or spending money on a meal when you are not that hungry.  I feel it’s a smart way to save money in the long run.

                Packing and shopping are not the only preparation that has to be done before the trip.  Because this is a trip for a college credit there are assignments and research that has to be done before we leave.   There is plenty of research that needs to be done before we leave.  My roommates for the trip and myself had to research music as it pertains to New Orleans.  We also had to research activities we want to do on our free day and figure out how to manage our day so we could do those activities.  I think all the research and preparation we are putting forth for the trip will give us a better overall experience.