Great expectations

I love vacations. Yearn for them. Can't wait for them to happen.
I really do look forward to them.
But now my son has outdone me in that department.
Because he is already packed for our trip to Utah, one month before we go.

We're going to attend a wedding, but the trip is really turning into a big reunion for my mother-in-law's side of the family. The really cool part, for my son's sake, is that the three of us, my mother-in-law, and one of his favorite cousins will be there.

Many a conversation over the past few weeks has revolved around this trip.
And as the anticipation has been building, my son has become impatient.

He recently got a new backpack, a darling Winnie the Pooh multicolored dream that perfectly fits his 4-year-old body. About a week ago, he started setting aside a few things.
3 favorite books
his favorite shirt
some of his best toy cars
and three of his favorite stuffed animals
Everything got packed away and zipped up for the trip.

"This is what I'm taking to Utah," he explained.

OK, I told him, but we're not going yet.

Then he asked why not now, and why don't we have tickets for today, and how long do we have to wait. It's tough to explain what a month really means.

I tried to talk him out of unpacking but he wouldn't have it.
I have tried every day, in vain.

We walked over to our main calendar and I explained how each box with a number represents one day. I pointed to today's box. Then I turned the page to show him our departure date. I made him count the days in between but the information did not compute.

So we have the daily question: "Is today the day we go to Utah?"
He is learning to deal with disappointment.
I'd like to think he's learning patience.
But the bag is staying packed.