every time i think a thought....

it goes away....I am distracted, and rightly so. The kids have no school, I am taking them all to the store for some good things for tomorrow's Thanksgiving brunch...we are having blueberry pancakes and Frenchtoast, sausage and bacon, fruit....and grape juice, and orange juice. Then chicken wings and fresh veggies with dip for dinner....

I have library books to return, a game I rented from Blockbuster that has to go back soon or I will have to pay big money for it (which Sam is hoping, that I will get charged the full price so he can own it), a bathing suit to send back, Camille's birthday doll lost her arm like five days after she got it, it has to be sent back for a replacement...and my broken phone has to be sent back or we get charged for it....but my new phone, which came so quickly in the mail, isn't activated yet because I don't know Emily's password for the account....blah....details....enough to make my head pound.

Jon wants me to take him to the Bass Pro shop today, there is a huge one in the small city here, with fish and stuffed wildlife and around Christmas, toy guns to shoot and remote control cars to play with....he wants to see if they sell the train track he needs.....

And in the midst of all this, I am just plain giddy. I am so excited about going to the Dominican Republic....the excitement IS mixed with guilt over how happy I am to be leaving....nothing personal, kids, I DO love you all! But to be able to actually THINK THOUGHTS without interruption....to be able to relax my mind, to have NOTHING to have to take care of....and the most exciting part: I made a phone call the other day.....well, first I tried to email the hotel, to request a room with a nice view, but the emails came back undeliverable....so I called the hotel directly. And yes, when the lady answered in rapid Spanish, I hung up. Then I stood there wondering what the heck is wrong with me....imagining Paul asking me if I called, then me saying, "Well, I did, but when she spoke in Spanish, I couldn't understand her, so I hung up." So I called back. This time I asked if she spoke English, please. (because let's face it, I know the words Fiesta and Siesta and Hacienda and Mon Ami but therin lies the extent of it) Anyway, I requested a nice room. I told her we stayed at the same hotel chain in Jamaica, blah blah blah...she said she would "make a note of it"....I had to ask her to repeat that three times before I understood her. Anyway, to make a long story even longer, yesterday afternoon I got a phone call from Expedia saying the hotel had contacted them and wanted to offer us an upgrade to the five-star hotel next door!!! So if you want to see the unbelievably luxurious place we are going to, check out Iberostar Grand Hotel, Punta Cana. (I figure at this point it doesn't hurt to say where we are going, if you read this and you see me there, we shall have a good time).....so I was excited enough about our vacation, but this place is unbelievable....you can have grilled lobster or any cut of steak you want, anytime you want, 24 hour room service, butler service, a pillow "menu".....jacuzzi tub overlooking the balcony in every room...and the best part: free internet! So guess who is bringing her laptop? Guess who will take a few minutes each day to blog about this vacation? ha, don't hate me, please don't hate me...because it is just too good to be true.....