Overstuffed...

Just THINKING about packing makes me tired!

When planning a trip, I don't want to start packing too early, or everything I need will be in a suitcase somewhere! Where is my hairbrush?... packed. I'm looking for my deodorant... packed. I need my pajamas... sorry, already packed!

See? Packing too early can get you in BIG trouble.... as well as packing too late!

Here I am, with 24 hours left to pack before I leave for my vacation in Dallas. I have to sleep, go to work and take a nap tomorrow before the big MIDNIGHT get-away! Knowing all this, I ATTEMPTED to pack tonight.

For days I have been doing laundry, ironing (why do I iron when you have to roll the clothes in a ball in a case anyways? hmmm... maybe some lost time there!), mending... you know the drill! I have a pet-peeve about seeing the bottom of the hamper before I can leave for vacation. Knowing well that when I return, mountains of dirty clothes will come with me.

With all the new airline restrictions, it took some "finagling" to get everything in the right bags (liquids in check bag, night clothes in carry on...). Even with the correct 'packing procedures', I knew I was in trouble. My suitcase was overstuffed.

I had mentioned on Facebook today that packing is almost impossible for a gal. We girly girls really like our "girly" stuff! Shoes! I think that is the major wardrobe piece... or purses! I hate it that I only have room for one this trip... will opt for a muti-colored bag with white trim... very 'summery' and will match all... Oh wait! I will definitely have to take one of my black purses since I am wearing SO much black...No, maybe all the black needs some COLOR. How about the RED shoes with the black and white outfits... or my HOT PINK! I also have a purse to match that! See what I mean? How do you stop this vicious cycle! Oh for the days when you had one purse and one pair of church shoes! Didn't matter if they matched what you had...they were ALL you had!

So, do I go and find a bigger bag? Or try to use the one I have and get an "elephant to shut it for me"! Yeah right..Some of my friends on Facebook offered some suggestions:

~ Sonya said she would love to go on a trip and take NO suitcases! Just buy all new 'duds' when you get there!

~ D pays the extra hundred bucks to take all the shoes she wants!

~ Jackie says to be prepared, "Even if it takes ten suitcases"!

~ Sue says to bring on the "plastic" (credit cards) for emergency shopping!

~ Lori (my traveling buddy!) cannot decide on her shoes, so lots of them are going. Shoes must be a girl's best friend!

So, here I am, trying to figure what "not to take" instead of what TO take.

Sometimes life is full of "overstuffed" stuff. Sometimes it's easy to "weed out" the unnecessary... sometime hard.

All I know is, I am excited about the trip... this journey of visitation. AND... I am also looking for the day when heaven is my destination. "Watch and Pray"... every time I get excited or anxious about a journey, I remember that the journey heavenward should be my main expectation... not one here on earth.

So, as I board the plane to head and do some visiting....I will go high, high up in the sky... but some day (to borrow a phrase from dear Bro. Mackey), "Some day I'm going on a 'plain air ride'".

Talk soon... after I get this suitcase shut... :)