My brain is totally in Travel Mode this week. I didn’t think we’d be able to take any trips in 2009 because I wanted to be pregnant by the end of last year. Which I was—twice—but I’m not anymore. And dear Lord, after all THAT, I need a vacation now more than ever. (Janet? Take me with you to Sardinia?? lol)

The good news is that we have plenty of great travel opportunities; all we have to do is purchase airfare, and we could have free room and board in Florida, Ireland, or Hungary. Woohoo! (Ireland would totally be first on my list, since I’ve been to both of the other places before.) But the bad news is that we don’t have the money OR the circumstances to take those trips right now.

When we last spoke to them on New Years Eve, George’s family asked if we’d be coming back to visit them in Hungary this year. (We went in 2005, which was my first trip ever to Europe, and I loved it.) George just laughed and told them our next European trip is 5 or 6 years away: we really don’t see Oliver surviving all that time on a plane, plus layovers—about 12 hours total—until he’s 7 or 8 years old. George’s parents then protested that HE did just fine on a long plane ride to Russia at Oliver’s age (they moved there for a couple years because that’s where his parents found jobs), but I told George, “Oliver is SO NOT YOU.” He’s afraid of loud noises, he does not like being confined to a seat, and he would never be able to sleep with everything going on around him… so combine all his issues with my OWN anxiety about flying… and, NO. It’s just not going to happen right now. I need to relax, not end up in a padded room somewhere!

As for the other trips we declined, George’s sister is currently working in Dublin, Ireland, and we have friends in Florida, all of whom would love for us to visit. Alas, the flying issue remains. Boo.

I didn’t even include the law seminar available through George’s alma mater that will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, this July (SWITZERLAND!!!), because that room and board is very much NOT free. But the brochure is pretty, so I put it on our fridge. “Someday…” we sigh.

However, there IS the possibility that we’ll take a family vacation in June. Not to Europe (sigh), but somewhere within driving distance—maybe even a BEACH! (North Carolina?) I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to getting away. I’ll admit, I did have the briefest moment of thinking, George and I should go somewhere alone, but honestly? I really want Oliver to come with us. It may limit us as to where we can go, but I know that it will be a lot more fun as a family.

Nothing is certain yet; it all depends on George’s bonus (we won’t know the amount for a few more weeks), and of course, I really hope to be uneventfully knocked up by June. We’ll see.

Maybe it’s some sort of double-post-miscarriage hormone imbalance, maybe it’s the effects of winter sunshine deprivation and Nyquil cold medication, but I could really, really use some new scenery. And I’d love for Oliver to see the ocean for the first time. That one moment just might be worth a long car ride.