Relief and Anticipation

Relief:

I just finished filing our taxes. Hurrah! I am the tax-filer of the family, if only because I took a finance class that helped me understand taxes, so Mike really doesn't even touch them. I'm ok with that. I usually am on top of it quite early in the year, but before filing, Rachel's adoption had to be finalized, then she had to get her birth certificate (which took over a month) then we had to apply for and wait for her Social Security card to come in (another couple of weeks), but it all happened in time and we are filed and I am relieved.

Anticipation:
A couple of days ago I finalized our plans for what we'll be doing on our trip out to Connecticut, and I'm starting to really get excited! We're going in May for a week (though I'm not going to say exactly when in May, because even though this blog is private, I still don't like the idea of putting out in cyberspace when we'll be gone from our home for a week.

I'm excited for all the fun things I've got planned for us to do there. Plus my mom took off that week from work, and my dad took off the first few days, so we'll be able to spend lots of time with them (and not have to rent a car!) and my brother Wayne and his family will be there for Nana's service, so we get to see them too! Here's our rundown:

Saturday:
Arrive, hopefully in one piece and with a fairly calm and happy baby who has kindly not spit up/puked/pooped on us excessively. That's the plan. We'll review it with Rachel so she's aware of the plan. Stop at store to pick up diapers, food, etc, because we're surely not packing a week's worth of that stuff when checked bags = $.

Sunday:
Hopefully go to church in the morning, there's actually an LDS church within minutes of my parents house, how 'bout that? Afternoon - go through boxes of Nana's stuff from her apartment with family so we can choose out momentos we'd like to have.

Monday:
Nana's service, which will take place on a beach/boat in Rhode Island, where she will have her ashes scattered at sea. We'll also spend some time exploring the beach and hunting for seashells and sea glass, which was a favorite pasttime with Nana back in the day. :)

Tuesday:
Visit the town where I grew up. I'm excited to walk up and down my old street and down to the reservoir at the end of the street where I spent so much time as a kid. Eat dinner at the most amazing restaurant ever, Wright's Farm, where they literally serve nothing but chicken (the best chicken you'd ever eat) and sides. There is no ordering, they just bring it on out. The restaurant seats 1023 people. That's a lot of chicken.

Wednesday:

Visit Mystic Aquarium and Mystic Seaport. The aquarium is really neat - it's big and they have beluga whales, dolphins (which are actually on loan from an aquarium in Chicago while they renovate), and sea lions. They even have shows in which the sea lions perform. I think Rachel will have a blast here (and us too). The seaport is a replicated 19th century seaside town where you can learn about life on the shore back then, and they have shops and restaraunts. There are also a bunch of restored tall ships (think Pirates of the Caribbean) that you can walk around on. It's a neat place, I remember going there as a kid.

Thursday:
Just hang out in the morning, maybe a museum or something close by in Hartford. Afternoon - Mike and I strike out alone leaving Meme (my mom) to babysit Rachel for the next day and a half. Drive to Springfield, Massachusetts and check out the basketball hall of fame and check into hotel.

Friday:
Six Flags! This is why Rachel is not with us, as she's a bit young for roller coasters (and Mike and I are starting to get old for them already...) Hopefully a super fun day. Drive "home" after.

Saturday:
Remind Rachel of plan. Fly home. Our flight was originally leaving at 5:50 am and we only had a 30 minute layover (scary, but it was either that or a super long flight or leaving very late in the day). But then I got an email a couple weeks ago that they had changed our itinerary and our flight was now at 9 am and we have an hour layover, which is perfect. Drive home from airport. Sleep. Lots. Unpack. Do umpteen loads of laundry. Sleep more.

The end.

:)