My life is pretty much stress-free. I really have no complaints. I live in Mayberry USA where all is calm, all is bright. My husband is the best in the world, literally. My daughters are beautiful and living full and happy lives. My grandchildren are healthy. I have a dog who wags her tail when she sees me. I have the best job in the world going on five years now.

Last week, my sister played Mom and said we should go to Portland to our aunt’s funeral service. Included in the trip was a short visit with my daughter Katrina and her family. Also included in the trip was a surprise traveler, our “adopted” sister, Michelle, who went along for the ride and some crazy entertainment.

Here’s the “no stress trip” details:

1. Make it a fast 24 hour trip
2. Rent a Jaguar because it’s good to be Angela, and then can’t remember the street name to locate rental car after dinner
3. Fit in as much time as possible with daughter and grandchildren
4. Fit in as much time as possible to visit at funeral before having to return Jaguar in perfect condition six hours before flight
5. Wrangle two crazy sisters on the streets of Portland and then again for the five hour wait in an airport
6. Travel back to KC at 1 am,  arriving in the same funeral clothes with sandpaper in the eyes the next morning, ready to tackle city errand-running and a five hour drive back to Mayberry USA

1. Drop off two crazy sisters, unload and load at Dad’s, pick up the Natia dog, track down granite countertops for bathroom vanity, get list from Sam of all the things at Home Depot, go to Home Depot with Natia dog on leash, begin hunting down the list, call Sam with questions in aisle 12 about faucets, notice other shoppers staring at Natia dog who happens to be pooping
2. Panic

1. COUNT BLESSINGS that someone’s used paper towel happens to be nearby in cabinetry and forget that it might be loaded with E-coli or the hantavirus, clean up dog poop, push cart full of tile and faucets and NAUGHTY DOG to the bathroom to throw away MAJOR BLESSING of a used-used paper towel and grab more to go back to aisle 12 to finish clean up
2. Call Sam back and deal with a plumbing novice in aisle 9 who has no clue about P-traps
3. Pay a fortune at the checkout and stress that someone is going to track down the dog who pooped in aisle 12 before we get out of Home Depot all the while sweating from the heat and the no shower and the funeral clothes and the stress
4. Drive as quickly as possible to the nearest Taco Johns for some Mom-Stress-Eating for the five hour drive back to Mayberry USA

I am grateful for potato ole’s and tacos and memories of Mom and not caring sometimes about being overweight.

I am grateful for a great trip FULL of unforgettable.

I am grateful that I will be able to say I saw BOTH of my daughters in one week, and I am so grateful for the anticipation of seeing Karissa and family this weekend.

I am grateful to be back in Mayberry USA with lots of hammering and drilling and sawing…and a sleeping NAUGHTIA at my feet.