The day yesterday started with a bit of a headache,at 5AM. OK, It was more than a “bit,” it was pretty bad and within a few minutes of being awake, I knew it was a migraine. Of all days and times to have this?? The timing is terrible. I realized that with the long travel day yesterday and being off my normal routine I had not had the requisite amount of caffeine. Plus, air travel and navigating a new situation is always stressful. 

Right now it’s about 24 hours since I woke up yesterday and sometimes it’s hard to recount the events of the previous day when something has happened that has overshadowed everything else. 

I’d like to write about our drive up to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo California where Z met her good friend (of about 4 years) Alex in person for the first time. I’d be tickled to report the girls had a great time riding rides, taking pictures, and chatting about stuff IRL. I’d even like to write about my own experience as a mom, supporting this little detour in our trip and meeting Alex’s mom who I spent several hours talking with while we waited for the girls to ride rides. But all of that feels as if it pales in comparison to how our day at the park ended, which was with Z’s phone getting destroyed on a ride. 

It’s a sad statement to say that a person’s phone has become so much a part of their daily operations that when something like this happens, it’s a huge deal. She’s a teenager and her phone is her lifeline to the world. I wish it wasn’t so. I know that when I was 19, people didn’t have cell phones yet, but in this day and age, even for me, losing a phone would be an issue. 

Yes, data could be in the cloud, but her apple cloud has been “full” for quite some time and she stopped paying the 99 cents a month to have it. Even if she had all her data backed up there, it would not help the fact the most important thing to her were the pictures and videos she took yesterday, meeting Alex for the first time. She’s heartbroken to have lost these moments and what’s more, is that the shadow this casts on the day is tough to overcome. 

The phone is a total loss. The word “destroyed” best describes it’s physical condition and the bottom, where you plug in the cable, is smashed in well beyond repair. So there is zero hope to recover any lost data. 

The good news is that it is just a phone and we have insurance through our cell carrier and she can get a replacement phone by filing a claim and paying a deductible. However, this is definitely not something we can or want to deal with on vacation. Oh yeah, we are on vacation. She wants to take pictures and video and stay connected to people. At the end of the day, this bump in our road is more of an emotional one than anything else. 

As a parent, I need to be both supportive of her thoughts and feelings but also help her realize how small this issue is in the grand scheme. I want to help her see past it, so we can try to enjoy our time here together, which is so very short. I think this situation gives me the opportunity to provide a good life lesson. I need to take it and do what I can with it. 

It’s funny how in my post yesterday I was lamenting the fact that I’m in San Francisco, a city I don’t care for much, and kind of groaning internally about doing all the touristy things. And today, I need to embrace those experiences to help prove my point to my daughter. I have to make this day fun and memorable. I want to laugh through the dense fog and find the bright side. I have to, for both our sakes. 

*** 

So there it is. All about the stupid phone and nothing about our drive on the Golden Gate Bridge or dinner at a little hole-in-the-wall mexican joint or our third (yes I said third) trip to Target last night. One might scoff, but retail therapy is a real thing and looking at sweatshirts and little backpacks and being silly in the store really did lighten our moods. 

After that, I was beat-tired and very done with the day. I could barely stay awake for 5 minutes after going to bed (for the second night in a row). 

My fingers are crossed for a good (better) day today.

With peace and love,
~Miss SugarCookie