My first big boy trip

I'm the fourth child - out of five that is. Occasionally I get that strange "oooo you're from one of those families" looks when I reveal that information.

There is a six year gap between me and my brother right above me, and my parents spent a tremendous amount of energy trying to cajole my older siblings, which worked out perfectly for the second batch.

For example, after our oldest sibling got married when we were 10 and 7, we wept as if our parents had been abducted. No worries, Mom and Dad threw us on a plane and sent us off to visit our oldest sister and her new husband in D.C.

I felt so powerful and adventurous sitting down in an airplane without Mom or Dad beside us; I would have pulled out a pipe to prove my maturity if I could have.

What an unforgettable trip. We sat by funny people on the plane, decided the name Foggy Bottom was hilarious, and got stuck at our sister's house while she took her new husband to the hospital. I was scared to death, so to distract myself I taught Pamela how to read time.

It will all come full circle next month as Pamela is the last sibling to get married; watch out Pama - I might show up at your house too!

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