finally

So we are just getting home, just settling back into some sort of normalcy, when one of my children pulls out a map.

"I want to go to Texas next," she says. "Or maybe New York." She is completely, absolutely stone-faced, serious. She looks up at me expectantly, like I already have the hotels booked and the itinerary planned.

IS SHE KIDDING?

I haven't even emptied the cooler. I haven't even emptied the VAN! Our simsuits are still drying in the shower - no lie.

But I know how she is. And unfortunately, have to take complete credit/blame/whatever you want to call it - because I am exactly the same.

Tonight we took the time to color a US map. We colored all of the states that she has visited in bright colors, and colored the others gray. Typically sunny Punk took a gander at the map and said, "Whoa - look at that - I've been a lot of places for a 10 year-old."

Kooka agreed, but was then quick to point out all of the places she had yet to knock off the list. "Holy Cow!" Punk exclaimed, "You're supposed to see them all before you turn 18 - not see them all in one year!"

But this is typical Kooka - typical me, to look at her list, and only see the undone. She has such a hard time acknowledging her accomplishments - and is always looking to what she's left unfinished - much like myself.

She said that when she's done with the states - she's moving on to countries.

Hopefully she'll take me with her.

And hopefully she'll be paying.