Home Again

We were out-of-town last week for four days, staying at my parents' house. A relative of mine passed away (but that is another story), so I wanted to attend the funeral services. They were midweek, and Tom was able to take a few days off work. So, even though the reason for the trip was unfortunate, it turned into a mini-vacation of sorts.

The drive was the easiest since Andrew was born. Hopefully that is going to be the trend, but I know better than to plan on it. The accommodations were excellent. No cooking, cleaning, or clutter to deal with. The kids had a ball playing and soaked up the extra attention of all the extended family. Tom and I got to sit back and watch. We got to take a breather. And we got to take a short nap!

We also went out for coffee with a friend. Just three adults having a nice discussion. Mostly about our kids. Of course. (It is so good to talk to another parent and understand that many of the issues you face with your own kids are shared by other parents!) I realized shortly after that it was the first time Tom and I had been out with a friend, without our kids, since Valerie was born. Whoa. Then we took a drive by our childhood homes, grabbed burgers for lunch, and picked up a pack of diapers on the way back. So, you know, technically it was a date.

The drive home went pretty well. It even worked out that we arrived with an hour to spare before bedtime. Valerie went right to sleep. It took Andrew a while because he had a late nap in the car, but all in all, things went smoothly.

But the next day, not so much. I think it must be some sort of attention withdrawal. We all had it. The kids were quite used to having non-stop playmates. And Tom and I were quite used to having lots of help. Plus, everyone was tired. Even with coffee, it was hard to muster the energy needed to get through that long three-ring circus of a day. But we made it.

Then came Monday morning. Tom went off to work, and it was just me again. Alone with the kids. I actually have a mini-attention withdrawal every Monday morning, I think. But yesterday was a little rough around the edges energy-wise. It will take a few days for all of us to feel more rested and back to our regular routine.

But still, it is always good to be home again.