i can do this

I wrote this past last week, but smart Sambo said I needed to not post it until after our trip to be safe since we would be out of town for so long. I didn't want to re-write it in past tense, so here you are with my thoughts before Costa Rica...

I'm going on an out-of-country vacation. It's an adventure trip with the in-laws and we're going to be doing a lot of fun/crazy activities that I've never done before. I'll admit, I'm feeling a bit anxious. Is it because we'll be repelling down a very tall waterfall? No. Is it because we'll be white water rafting for two days? No. Worried about the food? No. Concerned about what to do with my hair for a week with no blow dryer/straightner + humidity? Yes, but that's not causing the anxiety.

The reason is...well you see, packing space is limited. Sam warned me something just might not make the cut this trip. That something, would be my blanket.

It may not sound that worry-some to you, but you probably don't have the kind of relationship I do with my blanket. It all started with my baby blanket. The sweet white blanket with simple ruffle edges and baby pigs, lambs and ducks with blue and pink ribbons tied around their neck scattered about. I love that blanket. It went every where with me and spent every night with me, up until my wedding night when Sam said "You get either me or the blanket in the bed. Take your pick." When I say the blanket went everywhere with me, I mean it. Road trips, cheer camp, Argentina (almost lost it there, that was a close call), college....you name it - my blanket was there.

I once found a friend who shared the same baby blanket love as I have. At age 21 and 22, Amy and I both brought our baby blankets with us to Ghana while living there for 3 months, because...well, why wouldn't you?

So, I became a married woman and had to say farewell to my lifelong friend who now sits in a box. It was then that I adopted a new cuddly buddy...
Not Dani and not Sammy, but the brown zebra-striped and oh-so-soft blanket. It was a wedding gift to us. Sam couldn't turn down my desire to use a wedding gift, right? So, for the past two years I have slept with my new furry comfort blanket every night, but that will not be the case while on this trip. Bags are backed and my friend is still folded up neatly on the corner of the bed. I can do this.

Wish me luck.

*I made it the whole week sans blanket, however I told Sam I know I would've slept better each night if I had a blanket with me. Lesson learned. Costa Rica was amazing, posts on that to come.