We’re gearing up for another trip to Nebraska next weekend. It will be our last one for awhile. Part of me is excited and another part of me is, as usual, pretty anxious.
For the first time since moving to Colorado, we’re taking our dog, Angel, with us. I’m glad to be able to do this, but of course it also changes a few things. We’ll be stopping more on the road and will have to care for her during our time there.
I’m happy she’ll be with us, and worried how she’ll handle the trip and how it will impact our visit. We originally were bringing her so she could see some dogs she used to be friends with. They’re old and in poor health, so we figured sooner was better than later. But at the last minute (literally after I even started writing this post) their owner said he would be out of town, and on top of that was worried about introducing “strange dogs” with their health.
I totally get it and he would know their limits and what’s best for them but at the same time it’s like a bucket of ice water because on our last visit to Nebraska two months ago, he said how great it would be for them to see each other again and how his dogs would definitely remember/recognize Angel. And nothing about their health has changed in the last two months.
We also were bringing Angel so my sister and Grandma could see her, but my sister will be out of town that weekend as well. (Luckily, there is still my grandma.)
I have three friends I try to see in Omaha (one of them being the dogs’ owner I already mentioned). All of them are unavailable. Friend #1 works all weekend. Friend #2 says she will be swamped with homework deadlines. Friend #3 already covered. I am seriously bummed about all of this. Unlike our pasts trips, they knew the dates well in advance (I told them back in August and reminded them three weeks ago).
With all of these bombshells we would normally try for another weekend, but the entire reason we were going this weekend is because next Monday is a holiday and Roy’s off work, and because he worked Saturday he gets a weekday off, so he took Friday so it’s like a four-day weekend. While he could do the Friday thing again, we wouldn’t have that Monday as an option.
I’ll still get to see my brothers, go to the Pumpkin Patch and enjoy a few Omaha staples, but it’s the first time I’ve been seriously bummed going into a trip. It’s not like one friend will be missing, but all of my “chosen family” will be MIA. Usually they’re the biggest reason to go aside from my siblings, half of whom will already be MIA.
I’m trying to still be as excited as I was, but I am kind of deflated. And we can’t reschedule for another weekend. I’m debating on if we should still take Angel. I’m trying to figure out how to still see my friends without being pushy. Because honestly, it will probably be a solid year before we go back, and it’s unlikely we’ll have Angel in tow.
Hopefully it is still a great trip. And hopefully I can rally before the trip so I can do everything I need to do while getting ready, packing, laundry and all that fun stuff.
It just feels like the universe was against us going on our most “planned-in-advance” trip to date. And while I’m happy and still looking forward to certain things, these new developments certainly suck – HARD.
I am hoping for some kind of turnaround or pleasant surprises in store to make this trip great, like I thought it would be… Or just hope I’ll get over it. Either way, it’s out of my hands now, and I accept it, though I don’t have to be thrilled about it.
-DMW
