Ay Dios Mio!

I am now the proud parent of 3 traveling Europe solo. Ay Dios mio! Being a parent of 3 is challenging, especially as a single parent. Some of the kids wake up early and need an activity, some are super cranky if they are up before their biorhythm time. Some need snacks all day long while others rely on one big meal. Some need long naps while others need longer naps. And getting all 3 headed the same direction at the same time is like herding cats. 

My daughter, age 19, is the youngest of the 3, but very well traveled. My older 2, ages 76 and 78, are my parents and while they have definitely explored the world in lots of ways, especially as wild hippy kids from Los Angeles, CA, they are newer to the way my mini family travels. Like any combined family, it takes adjustment to find the ways you can groove together. Little things make for great stories, lots of laughter, and an occasional time out. 

I have to start with a description of my 2 older kids for those of you that don't know them. They are adorable! They just celebrated 57 years of marriage and they are still affectionate and silly with each other. Born and raised in LA means they have epic stories. They saw the coolest musicians live in little venues and even better, they have stories from  hanging out and partying with some of them. Surfing every morning before school, experiencing the beginning of the hippy era (the part we all idolize) and the rad decision to move to the rural mountains of New Mexico with a couple babies are just the tip of the iceberg of examples to explain how cool they are. They are also some of the most appreciative people I know. They act like letting them tag along on this trip is somehow a gift I have given them. I am telling you, they are adorable! And that reminds me, they are also straight up adorable, like really attractive people. They seem to age backwards and they are always a hit at events I take them to. 

Now being  kids of the '60s, the tech age is a little confusing. Enter sibling rivalry, the age gap between kids can be tough when talking about my 3. My 19 year old IS the tech generation and she has already sworn off helping me and her dad because it is just to annoying to try to explain the obvious to us. Well, now we have another generation further back and that is when you can cue the hilarity. Watching the older 2 ask the younger 1 questions even I know the answer to and seeing the eyes roll back in the young one's head is constant entertainment. At one point, with yet another conversation about cell phone airplane mode, travel plans and wifi, I thought my daughter was going to go into convulsions as her frustration hit NASA level launch pad intensity.

Over the years, as Jess and I have taken our little pod traveling, we have done some pretty wild things and have embraced the scary adventures of it all. Now this is not easy to simply jump into and I have been impressed with the blind faith my parents have in what I tell them to do. I also have to admit that some people are better at arranging the plans and details of the trip itself which oddly enough can be some of the scariest of things to do. I happen to be really good at this part. Maybe it's because I am a type A, compulsive, controlling person with high functioning anxiety. Any which way, it completely overwhelms and scares my parents to try to take on these tasks: booking 4 trains, 2 flights, 4 hotels/ bookings/ airbnbs over 3 weeks for 4 people, with complicated time scheduling and arrangements all in 2 foreign languages. Watching me take care of it and allowing them to simply get in the taxi when I tell them to (OK sometimes I am yelling it "I said get in the taxi!"), in charge of all tickets and itineraries, also has made me mom. Which they really enjoy. I appreciate that they are so appreciative.

We've managed through all kinds of ups and downs now. We had calamities like when Siri took us the very "scenic" route to a winery that was literally next door, or when we all came down with covid and had nothing to eat in the house, but were all too sick to go out. There have been times of laughter, usually due to my daughter's sharp wit and shrewd eye making for on the spot standup routines. And there have been group tears, like when my husband had to say goodbye and head back to the USA, or we had outstanding tacos in Madrid. 

After dancing them around New Jersey, then zig zagging back and forth across Spain, and now training through wine country in France, I think the entire crew is starting to ease into the hectic life of 3 kids with a single mom. My daughter even bravely handed off her laptop to the older 2 just now! 

The truth is, as "mom" as I get, my parents have come on this trip to hold my hand on what is for sure the scariest thing I have ever done; upend my entire life and move to country I have never been to before. There is no way to thank them for their love and support.