Traveling Mama

I'm feeling excited, and a bit nervous, about my upcoming adventure sans kids. It's the way I feel before scrap weekends, or any time that I am away from them for more than an hour or two. On the one hand, I CAN'T WAIT to leave bright and early tomorrow morning without having to fix breakfast for anyone, or remind anyone to put on their shoes or jackets, help with seat belts, prepare water cups, fix anyones hair (other than mine), and all the other minutiae that accompanies leaving the house. I only have to pack for myself. I'm bringing along several books (one I'm almost finished, and another for the flight home) that do not have any pictures on the pages--grown up reading. I am planning what yummy beverage I'm going to choose from Starbucks (skim Chai latte or skim, sugar free, cinnamon latte?), probably grande, but who knows, maybe I'll get a venti! And once I arrive in Baltimore, I get to see my beloved sister and her family, and then I get to spend some time with my parents at a dear, childhood friend's wedding. All sans kids! Sigh. It sounds heavenly.

But then there's the other part of me, the mommy part, that is feeling a bit nervous about going away. Not that I am not completely confident that Kevin will hold down the fort wonderfully. I know that he will have a great weekend with the kids, and that they will have a great time with him. I don't have to worry about the things some moms do before leaving their children with their husbands--he knows their routine without my having to write it down, he can safely pick out their clothes, he isn't afraid to take them out to eat (he's not real big on cooking dinner while I'm away), he is as strict and consistent a disciplinarian as I am. So I'm not nervous about this part of the leaving. It's the silly, irrational stuff that has me a little nervous. Like, what if something happens to me and I never make it back home again? Or what if Ryan loses his first tooth while I'm gone? Or what if one of them gets hurt and I'm not there to kiss and comfort them? It's the little things that are completely out of my control that give me tiny flutters in my belly every so often. It is at these times that I am grateful for my faith in God, and my confidence that He is looking out for my children when I'm not, and that whatever is meant to happen will so there's no sense in my worrying about it.

At any rate, I am looking forward (mostly) to my little excursion, and can't wait for it to hurry up and get here!

(added after the trip)
My beautiful sister and thoroughly kissable neice

















My dear friend (not to mention longest--34 years-ack!) Susan and her new husband Chris