The Trip: Summer Vacation

Tomorrow we leave for Western New York to see my parents and my brother's family. It's a trip Robbie's had etched into his mind for many months. "On August 15th, we're going to New York on the plane," he announced early in the year. When I checked August in my work calendar, sure enough "We go to New York" was scrawled on the 15th. Breaking the news that we'd be leaving on the 12th wasn't as easy as you might expect. Once he accepted the change, he instructed me to change my calendar.

Fearing, well, everything about flying with the kids, we usually drive 1400 mile trek. We've flown a couple times in the past with mixed results, including a full-blown temper tantrum at Toronto's Pearson International Airport that I won't soon forget. Most people think we're nuts to drive it but the constant low level anxiety of knowing that he could become overwhelmed at any moment was a powerful source of motivation. There's a lot to be said to have full control over your mode for transportation.

Since Robbie brought up the idea of flying, I figured I'd empty what was left in my frequent flyer account and give it a shot. It's a statement of his progress over the past few years and our confidence in being able to manage whatever might arise. Given the successes we've had this summer, I'd say it's a pretty good bet.

I'll let Bruce Springsteen narrate our destination:



Who knows, maybe we'll take another cruise on the canal this year.