TT - 13 Things I haven't packed yet

It's midnight on Wednesday here. The kids and I leave tomorrow night to fly to the States for a month-long visit. Here are just 13 of the many things which have yet to make it into a suitcase (notice, Mother in Israel, that I didn't say "the suitcase", it's just not gonna happen...):

1. My shoes, various pairs (sandals, sneakers, water shoes for boating, dressier sandals, crocs...)

2. Books for the kids

3. Maya's favorite toys (keeping those out until the last minute)

4. DVD player

5. Laptop

6. Camera and lenses

7. Bathing suits (oh damn, I forgot to wash them! Be right back!)

8. A sweatshirt

9. Toiletries

10. Empty water bottles to fill after we pass security

11. Itai's jeans (need to wash those too - he needed them for a play he was in tonight)

12. Maya's pajamas (have to go throw those in the dryer right now)

and last but not least, since it wouldn't be an Around the Island family trip without some kind of last minute medical emergency:

13. Loratidine for Itai - to stop the allergic reaction he just developed tonight on day NINE of penicillin. He broke out in a rash from head to toe right at bedtime. Since I've got major life-threatening drug allergies myself we didn't take any chances and ordered a doctor's home visit immediately. The doctor showed up at 10 o'clock tonight and examined Itai right in his bed - while he slept! Since I'd already had a phone consult with a doctor (love that supplemental insurance) and was pretty confident of what was happening I was clever enough (patting self on back) to make sure that the doctor arrived with a few samples of the correct medicine to save me a trip to the all-night pharmacy. I ground up the pill and dissolved it in a bit of water (it's time to teach Itai to swallow pills) and woke him up just long enough to drink it down. He'll get another dose tomorrow night and should then be fine to travel, but I'll have a stash of additional pills just in case. Never a dull moment around here. One of my children is ALWAYS, and I do mean always, sick right before a major international trip. Still, it could have been a lot worse. My own penicillin allergy put me in the hospital for a full week with a very rare and severe reaction that even today causes doctors to gasp.

I'd better get to bed now. The workers will be arriving at 5am (oh how I wish I was kidding) to finish the work on the roof and I still have a slew of packing (not to mention working) to do tomorrow.

Have a great Thursday everyone, and I'll be around to visit as soon as I can.