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SKYE
Every year, my family goes on an extravagant vacation for the winter holidays. We spend the entire year planning and preparing for a two-week Christmas and New Year vacation, but all the planning in the world couldn’t have prepared me for what happened this year.
As the self-appointed type-A planner of the family, I took it upon myself to make sure everyone had their tickets, passports, and other documents to travel across the ocean to Switzerland. My parents and brother and sister and I had all been to Europe before, but none of my nieces or nephews had, so it added a new layer of challenge to make sure they were prepared just as well as we were.
Though I didn’t have kids of my own, I wanted to make sure everything ran as smoothly as possible. It was a long journey from New York for me, but it was even longer for the rest of my family, who were all scattered around the country in Texas, California, and Montana.
Normally, our Christmas vacations take place a bit closer to home, but we wanted to go all out this year. It was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for all of us, andnothingwas going to go wrong.
But of course, even the best-laid plans can falter. Unexpected things happen all the time, and there is nothing we can do to stop them.
“Mom,are you sure you have everything packed?” I asked as I raced around my apartment, running down my checklist for the millionth time.
“Yes, honey. I think so.”
“You think so? That doesn’t make me feel great.”
“Well, if it’s not packed by now, it’s probably not that important.”
“Did you look over the packing list I sent you?”
“You sent me a packing list?”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes, even though I knew she couldn’t see me.
“Yes. I sent everyone a packing list over a month ago. It should be in your email.”
“Oh, sweetheart, you know I don’t check that.”
“Well, I need you to check it because it has your flight information and your packing list. Please look at it today.”
“Okay, I will.”
“You promise?”
“Yes, just as soon as I remember my password.”
I let out a long sigh, no longer caring if she knew how exasperated I was.
“Never mind. I’ll just send it in a text. Just make sure you look at it, and make sure dad gets all packed, too.”
“We don’t leave for two more weeks. I don’t see what the big rush is.”
“Mom, you know I’ll feel better if you just have everything ready to go, okay? I don’t want a repeat of last year.”
“Oh, everything worked out fine last year.”
“Eventually, yes it did, but I would really rather not rebook your airport transportation and flights if I don’t have to.”
“Alright, sweetie, I will start packing tonight.”
“Start packing? You just told me you have everything packed.”
“Well, I know where everything is I need to pack.”
“Goodbye, mom.”
