Captain's Log....Day One

Today was OFFICIALLY the start of Tess's Make a Wish trip. Now, I realize pretty much everyone who reads this blog already knows where she wished to go since you all basically live in my small town, but for those ten of you who I don't already know personally, can you guess where she wished to go?

Nope, she did not wish to go to the happiest place on earth (Disney World).

Nope, she did not wish to go frolicking with the dolphins in the Bahamas.

Nope, she did not wish to get leid in Hawaii (now get your minds out of the gutter).

Alas, my Tessie Toodles wished to go to beautiful, exotic, Xenia, Ohio. In January. Yeah.

Where the heck is Xenia, Ohio you ask? Good question. And I have no idea. Here's hoping Garmin and Mapquest really do know their stuff geographically speaking.

The big lure of Xenia is that that is where 4Paws for Ability is located and Tess's wish was for a service dog.

Today the wish began with a trip to Petco to pick out all the supplies Tess's new furry friend will need. Tessie picked out exactly one item, a pink bowl, before she totally shut down and refused to even look at anything else. Imagine if you will, her two parents trying desperately to peak her interest in dog toys and dog crates and dog leashes, as the Make a Wish representative and manager of Petco look on in expectation of smiles and maybe a few giggles. The hubs and I became almost manic in our "oohs and aahs" over every little thing, practically pleading with our stubborn girl to seem even the teensiest bit interested. No dice.

At one point, the manager and the MAW rep. asked for a photo. The hubs and I smiled like people verging on the brink of insanity as Tess refused to even lift up her head. In the end, I had to literally hold her head up with my hands for the photo. It looked like I was choking her and our eyes had a look sometimes seen in people who have missed some very necessary psychotropic drugs. Somehow I don't think that picture is going to make the Make a Wish calendar this year.

Everyone was very kind about Tessie's lack of enthusiasm and very generously accepted our excuses of, "She's been awake since 4:30." and, "We think she thought she was actually going to get her dog today so she is sulking that there is no dog." Both true but still, it felt very underwhelming that she was so disinterested in her wish.

Tomorrow we hop in our rented Family Truckster, err, I mean Suburban, and begin the drive to Xenia. I can't help but feel like Ellen Griswold in the movie, Vacation, when she and Clark make a crazy road trip to WallyWorld with their kids. I can only hope we don't run into Christie Brinkley in a red Corvette in our travels.

Until tomorrow....