Long story short: I have a friend in California who is getting married on New Year's Day and wants me in the wedding. It was originally planned for May and they only just moved it a few weeks ago so there was some doubt as to whether I'd be able to make it or not. I swore to do my darnedest, though, as she and I have been friends since the third grade -- and it appears it is actually going to happen.

Now what sets this trip apart from the usual (besides the fact that I'm going to participate in a wedding, which I haven't done in over 10 years) is that I am going without children. Yes, that's right -- footloose and child-free in California. I have not gone home without a child in tow in more than five years now. Neither the opportunity nor the motive had ever arisen before, plus I had the vague notion my parents would not let me in the door if I arrived without Madalyn. Now that the situation is at hand and I have spoken to my mom about it I begin to realize that, after all, I was around long before the two kids were and maybe the parental units would enjoy a short visit with me and me alone. After all, I have been feeding my very own self for a number of years now, I don't throw screaming fits over Little People figures and I can be relied upon to be responsible for my own bodily functions. It will probably be a nice break for them, as well as myself.

I, personally, am thinking about all the fun I will be able to have, sans offspring. I love them dearly, and will miss them, but the simple fact of the matter is things are about a frillion times easier when all I am responsible for is me, myself and I. Seriously, if you don't quite get what I'm talking about I invite you to take my five-year-old and my two-year-old, schlepp them three hours to the airport, fly 1500 miles then drive another 2-4 hours, all in one day. It's quite the experience. I am used to it now, having been doing it for quite a while, but it is still extremely low on the "fun" scale.

Then, once we get there, it's not all vacation. Yes, we do manage to do fun and enjoyable things. But even just running out to get something to eat is a major project, not to mention quite an expense. I don't feel right in asking my mom to babysit them too often so my opportunities to, say, catch a movie or a nice, quiet dinner are few and far between. Actually, the opportunities for a nice, quiet anything are few and far between. That includes an evening of television viewing with the 'rents, which is something I enjoy, but which is punctuated, start to finish, with screaming, crying, snack requests, book requests, and fights over toys whenever the little darlings are around. And just TRY to shop with those two! I end up browsing while my poor mom corrals the little heathens and tries to keep them from wrecking the place. So, yes, I can see many perks to taking this trip on my own. I mean, just to be able to sleep in the morning as long as I want and leave the house at noon and not have to be back by 12:30 for naptime -- it will be heavenly, I tell you.

I guess I owe someone an extra-big wedding gift by way of saying "thanks for the opportunity."