IF YOU WANT TO MAKE GOD LAUGH

These lovely photographs were taken in Costa Rica. Beautiful, aren't they? What a place it is! Hubby had said we were going to go there. I was to choose the hotel where we would stay. After some serious hunting, I found the PERFECT and most romantic place. Glorious sums it up just right. I had to withhold making the actual reservations, because we were unsure when we could time this long-awaited trip.

I need to back up a bit first. When my son's girlfriend was in her junior year of college, she lived in Costa Rica for a few months as part of a study program. She loved it. As soon as she graduated and after much deliberation, she accepted a one-year teaching position in Costa Rica. Only one year. After that year is over, her plans are to return home to obtain her Master's degree. She left in June. I have missed her a tremendous amount. I love her to pieces, and emails and phone calls are no replacement for being with her in person.

Back to the present. Hubby and I were thrilled to be going to Costa Rica. Not only would we get to see our son's girlfriend, we could also have that second honeymoon we wanted. Yay! I had it all figured out. Where we were going to stay, what places we would visit, how much use our hotel suite would get ::grin::...everything except the date. December looked like a promising month to take this trip; however, son's little lady said she was trying to work it out so she could fly back home for Christmas. I hardly wanted to be out of the country when she would finally be back IN the country, so I decided December was a bad time to plan on THE BIG TRIP.

Instead, hubby scheduled a nice little family ski trip to Seven Springs to begin two days after Christmas. Ahhhh, I was looking forward to a post-holiday getaway. Long story short, there was no one available to look after our dog who had just had her left eye removed, the stitches were still in, and she was adorned in one of those charming lampshades around her head to prevent her from scratching that eye. Desperate phone calls to find someone who could spend a bulk of time with the poor thing resulted in no luck. Yours truly stayed home with her. Yep, poochie, me, and her bazillion medicines alone in the house while my hubby and kids were off having fun. I was here sadly watching a blind (her remaining eye is blind) and disoriented dog bashing into every object in our house. (That really was extremely upsetting to me. I realize it is "just a dog" to some people. But to ME, she is part of the family. I hated her suffering so.) It was not a fun time for me, and I did not feel as though I was truly alone with no worries. In fact, I was horribly stressed out during that time and unable to pursue any of the activities I would normally do if given the opportunity to be alone.

Oh well. Costa Rica could wait until the other winter or spring months. I had no problem with that. I kept pulling up the hotel site on the computer and gazing at the plush rooms in MY hotel. It was going to be soooooo fun there. I needed to get on the ball and set a date.

The family returned from their vacation. I began to discuss with hubby specific times we might want to go to Costa Rica. Oops. "Didn't I tell you I scheduled a ski trip to Montana for then?" said my forgetful husband. Uh, no. Then maybe we could go during such-and-such? "Oh, I can't. I am going to North Carolina with my brothers and father. I know I told you that." Uh, no. This went on and on until I felt my shoulders sag clear down to my ankles. Every time that looked good to me was not acceptable. Work demands, previous plans, and the like thwarted my hopes. June looked good to him. Nice. June is when our son's girlfriend will be BACK here. (She never was able to get back for Christmas.) And we are supposed to be going to Chicago with another couple for the King Tut exhibit in June or July.

I think I shall scream. And the only person I have to blame is myself. I wanted to find the perfect time. I should know by now that perfection rarely exists.

I guess I need to check the typical weather in Costa Rica for late summer. Looks like then is my best bet. ::sigh::

Oh! There IS a huge positive in all of this. The above photographs? They were taken by my son. He flew to Costa Rica on October 31 to ask his girlfriend to marry him and slip a stunning engagement ring on her finger (which he has had since September). She said YES, by the way! I LOVED when she and I talked on the phone later during his trip, and we spent the first two minutes just screaming and laughing with excitement. They are both so dang precious together. She was caught totally by surprise when he proposed! I LOVE IT!

Anyway, I am pretending those pictures were taken by me during the rare times hubby and I ventured out of our hotel suite. Uh huh. We had a great time there. Yep, we did.

Talk about living vicariously through one's children. Geez.

"If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your future plans." ~Woody Allen