She must think I have amnesia.....

I was chatting with a friend of mine today.  She was telling me that her mom flew into town this morning and is going to drive with my friend and her two small children back to Arkansas.  My friend is planning to stay in Arkansas for about two weeks to visit with family and friends.

In the middle of explaining all this, she tells me that when her mom arrived, they were all so excited to see each other that they walked out of the airport and drove off.....completely forgetting to pick up mom's luggage (that is par for the course for this family).

We continued to chat for a few more minutes about this and that when out of nowhere my friend comes out with this little gem,

"You should TOTALLY fly to Arkansas sometime in the next couple of weeks.  It would be great!  You can visit your aunt and we can hang out by the lake (oh, that does sound like heaven).  And then you can drive back to North Carolina with me and the two boys!!"

Ummm, yeah.

Because even if I had the money to fly out there in the first place why, in the name of all that is holy, would I voluntarily get in the car with two small terrors adorable small children and their mother (whom I love dearly, but if the truth be told is a terrible driver) to travel across however many states is between there and here?

As a parent, I've done this bit before and I remember it with great clarity - with a child that actively hated his carseat so much that every time I put him in it he would act like he was possessed.  And you know how most small ones would be lulled to sleep by the movement of the car?  Mine was not lulled, at all.  In fact, I can honestly say that the majority of our road trips were hell on wheels - literally.

I can tell you right now with much certainty, I'm not about to do it again, not for love or money.  Especially with TWO small children torturing each other in the backseat.