Tomorrow I gather my flock and prepare for a cross-country adventure, just mama and kids. The older two children have prepared themselves a backpack to keep themselves busy with on the two lengthy flights; I will entertain myself with the project of getting Fiona Clementine to sleep surrounded by new and interesting faces and novel sounds to boot. Greg's flight, which he took four days ago, had little television screens in the back of each seat on their Toronto-Edmonton leg of the journey. I am begging the gods for those same little screens on my flight. If they are there, I am golden.

When we're there, we'll meet up with Greg, and we'll see a lot of family. But we will also have the chance to steal away to the mountains, just the five of us. It will be our first trip with just our immediate family and Fiona Clementine. Our first public showing with our new prize. We'll take her to the crystal Rocky Mountain lakes that bring us so much peace, and let her dip her little toes into the glacial waters and know the freshest of fresh air. We'll smell Charlotte in the breeze, and see her in the sunlight. We'll wish she could be with us.

Until I return...