In the wee early hours of this morning, I've gone to the airport, hopefully checked my bag, and made my way through TSA in order to head to Louisiana for a work conference. Every year, a bunch of youth leaders and pastor like people gather together to talk about faith formation with young people and try to rest (and maybe have some fun together too!). This year happens to be in the host city of our big summer youth gathering, so it also includes some planning and prep time. 

Getting away, no matter who you are, is always hard, even if it's work related. There are a zillion and one things to do- prep the dog sitter, clean the house (or maybe I'm the only one that does that), and get all your regular work life stuff done that still has to be done and then some because you are gone.. sometimes its just so much work.

And packing. Intentionally packing for a plane is a pain. I remember that as a small child, my grandfather and I would head out to the airport and watch planes fly away. I always wanted to get on one.. maybe it was the lure, maybe it was the desire to explore and see something new. But now, I'm like, planes, ugg. Overselling, delays, people's attitudes, weather, and packing just make flying complicated.

At any rate, here are some of the top things I always have in my carry on, even if I check a bag:

• An extra pair of contacts plus eye drops
• Electronics & Chargers, including a powerbank (I still remember a few times of being stuck and the airport was so crowded no charging ports were available!) 
• Meds: acid reflux, motion sickness, and aleve are the top choices. 
• Empty Water Bottle
• Snacks
• An extra change of clothing
• Chapstick