Greetings, internets, from sunny California!

It only took about ten minutes after our arrival for someone to ask D. if he was from Texas and then make the comment that they couldn’t understand his Southern accent.

So we’re off to a smashing start.

And really, we had a great trip. Sister decided that her nephew HAD TO HAVE a portable DVD player (along with a brand new copy of “Shrek”) for his first Disney journey, and oh, it was a thing of beauty. Alex watched a movie all the way to Houston - then watched another movie from Houston to oh, I’d say, Arizona, at which point he promptly fell asleep for the next hour and a half. So by and large, the plane rides were completely stress-free.

Unless you consider the ineffective air conditioning on the plane from Houston to here. That stressed me out just a wee bit. Because I was hot, you see. And I hate to be hot. And if I had wanted to be hot, I would have stayed home and turned off the air conditioning and started a fire. But I did not want to be hot, because I never want to be hot, and I especially do not want to be hot when I am surrounded by strangers and trapped at a high altitude in what essentially amounts to a bus with wings.

But now I am sitting in our friend Todd’s house, and even though he does not have air conditioning (I almost had a panic attack when D. reminded me of this earlier today), I am not hot at all because it is about 60 degrees here right now. With a light breeze blowing. EVER so pleasant and enjoyable.

And tomorrow: we’re going to see the large mouse. If Alex’s head doesn’t fly off its axis first. Because he’s just a smidge excited.

Finally, thanks so much, y’all, for all the sweet anniversary wishes. I think it’s sort of appropriate that earlier today, as D., Alex and I made our way through the Houston airport hand in hand, I couldn’t help but reflect on the sweet blessing of our little family. And then, five minutes later, when D. couldn’t understand a point I was trying to make about our lunch plans, I wanted to roll my eyes at him and say something really profound like, “UM, I MEAN, WHAT-EV-ER! GAH!”

And then five minutes later all was blissful again. Such is marriage, I reckon.

So we’re off to celebrate Numero Diez with a little Mexican food. I’m giddy just thinking about the guacamole.

And if that seems a little pathetic, it’s only because it is.

Yesterday, in a fit of anniversary-eve sentimentality, I thumbed through my wedding photo album. It’s hard to believe that a full decade has passed since D. and I said “I do” on a Saturday morning when I was certain that no one would show up at the church for the ceremony because of the torrential rain pouring from the nearly-black skies.

It wasn’t the weather of a bride’s dreams, really.

But apparently the bad weather didn’t dampen our spirits. Because looking at our wedding album is like looking at photos from some sort of Goofy Smile Extravaganza. It was a great, happy day.

And you know, ten years later, I think that if I could say anything to the girl in my wedding pictures (the girl who is, of course, me), it would be, “Ya done good, sister.”

Also: “What’s going on with your bangs?”

Not to mention: “There’s a little boy coming your way in about six years. He will absolutely melt your heart and take your breath away. You will wonder how you ever lived without him, even though right now you think nothing could possibly make you happier than watching a marathon of Friends episodes.”

And finally: “The next ten years will make you laugh and cry and smile and hurt and laugh some more. The next ten years will stretch your faith and build your character and multiply your joy. There will be days when you love your husband with the force of all nature, and there will be days when you wonder what the two of you ever saw in each other.

And on every single one of those days - good, bad, or somewhere in between - God will be working in ways you can’t even imagine. And ten years from today, you will look back on your life together, and you will be beyond grateful for God’s faithfulness through the mountaintops and the valleys. You will be so glad that you’ve walked through all of it together.

And you will be thankful.”

I am. So thankful.

Happy 10th Anniversary, D.

I love you!

Okay - seriously - I am taking a break from packing to ask a very important question:

Do y’all really wear the same pajamas night after night?

REALLY?

Because while I know I’m weird, I did not realize until today that my pajama-wearing habits only serve to intensify the weirdness.

HOWEVER, I am a shower-in-the-morning girl - not a bath-before-bed girl. I can see how you’d wear the same pajamas if you are a bath-before-bed person because you’re clean when you put on the pj’s and still clean when you take them off. But for someone like me, who showers in the morning, wearing the same pajamas would be sort of like wearing dirty clothes to bed. Which doesn’t so much interest me.

But then I’m crazy and have issues, so don’t pay me a bit of mind.

And I don’t do the whole matching pajama thing…I usually wear some sort of (clean!) capri pajama bottoms with a (clean!) t-shirt.

Honestly, I remember being surprised when everyone thought I was strange for using fabric softener AND dryer sheets (WHY? WHY WOULDN’T YOU DO THAT? WHY?), but I’m actually more surprised about this pajama thing. I guess it’s because my clothes-washing habits are my own doing - but the pajama habit is my heritage, y’all - it’s what my mama taught us to do.

I’m FASCINATED by this, as you may have gathered.

So please feel free to throw in your two cents in the comments.

About your pajama habits, mind you.

Not about my incurable case of the crazies.

Back when I used to read magazines for knowledge and insight (as opposed to now, when I’m really just looking for colorful pictures of the contents of celebrities’ grocery carts), I always loved articles that tried to teach me the smart way to pack a suitcase.

The how-to essays would inevitably advise me to take just five items of clothing (look! it can be tank top! or a bikini top! and look! it can be a shawl! or a sarong! and look! if you turn the arms inside out and wrap them counterclockwise around your torso area, you can transform your long-sleeve t-shirt into a slinky evening gown! and don’t forget a jaunty wide-brimmed hat!) - because that is all any sensible girl could possibly need.

So the information was, as you can see, terribly practical.

And I don’t know about you, but I would have major anxiety if I had to travel with only five items in my bag. Because when I travel, I like options.

Which is why, by the end of today, my suitcase will look something like this:

And then we have toiletries:

So as you can see, I have quite a day’s work ahead of me.

I do hope I haven’t frightened you.

Thanks so much, y’all, for all the great ideas re: traveling with a four year old. I am making my way through your emails, too - and you have shared so much info that I never would have thought of otherwise. All your tips are going to be a huge help as we make our way through a sizeable to-do list tomorrow.

The biggest thing I’m wrestling with is what shoes to take for me. Personally, I don’t think running shoes / tennis shoes are all that comfortable for long periods of time…and even though I have some Geox sandals that are super comfortable, I’m concerned that something without a back strap will get on my nerves after a few hours. I know that Crocs would be cushiony and good - but I worry that they’ll get hot (rubber + sun = HOT FEET = EWWWW).

So, if you’ve recently traversed either the land or the world of the large mouse (trying to avoid unwanted google-age), what shoes did you find worked the best? What about with your kids? Did they do okay in tennis shoes? Or Crocs? I don’t want to pack too much, but I want to make sure that I pack the right stuff.

Also, did y’all try to take water bottles and snacks into the park? Or did you just buy whatever you needed once you got there?

Finally, we’re thinking that we’ll just rent a stroller at the park…does anyone have any experience with that?

Okay - I think that’s all. But if you have any additional hints - anything you think I’m missing - feel free to share.

Thanks so much, everybody!