The bags are packed, the so-very-many, once-important lists are ticked and tossed in the garbage, the plants are watered, pets fed--and we're off!

I'm more excited for the boys than for myself. It's their first trip to Europe, and I hope they love it! We gave Liam a bugle for his "family presents" birthday party last night--and he wants to bring it with us. Unfortunately, the people on the airplane won't allow it.

It's amazing how much planning I have put into the airplane rides--the surprise books, games, and small toys to keep the boys content in their seats for hour after hour. Like them, I know I will want to move. Flying coach across the U.S. and then to Europe is miserable, mostly for the confinement. We're going to make even the airplane rides an adventure--a quiet adventure : )

Just hope for us that the SECOND volcano in Iceland keeps its top on until we arrive in Ireland! Things are threatening, but no activity so far . . .

Once we get to Ireland, we'll rendezvous with the folks who own the camper van (what they call motor homes in Ireland) that we've rented for four weeks. When we sit at the dining room table at home, I look around and imagine that we'll all be living in a space smaller than our dining room for four weeks! Yikes! We all have good raincoats, so even if it pours all day long we can get outside.

When we're in the car, I tell the boys that we'll be living in a space not much larger than our car--but taller, Andy adds--for four weeks. There is an appreciative silence.

Here's a hip, hip, hooray for Athena--and please give Quinn a hug from Andy!