Going away

I went on my first vacation alone since having children. At first I thought Jody would balk at the idea, but when I mentioned that my cousin had invited me to a scrapbook crop in Branson, MO the first weekend in March he said that it sounded like fun and I should go. I actually waited a week or two to confirm with my cousin because I was waiting for reality to hit him that he would be alone with the kids for 3 days and 2 nights. But his attitude never changed and I figured if he said I should go, I had better go!

I had a great time in Branson. I shared a 2-bedroom suite with my cousin and her two friends. I got done way more scrapbooking then I had anticipated – somewhere around 24 pages, and I also did a little shopping for the kids. Olivia suddenly had another growth spurt and was in desperate need of some new pajamas, and the Carter’s outlet was having a great sale on just that thing. I also got some time just for me – something a mother just can’t seem to get enough of these days.

I half expected for the house to be trashed when I got home. I’ve seen what the kids can do to the place in a matter of hours so I had no idea what to expect after a weekend away. Jody did surprisingly well. The dishes were done and the toy clutter was pretty well confined to the bedrooms. There was a pile of laundry to be washed but that is nothing new around this house. The kids must have missed me. They “punished” me for leaving them by being total crabs for the evening.

So I had a wonderful weekend away. Knowing that my family can be somewhat self-reliant without me is a good thing. I look forward to my next vacation for a little rest and relaxation. Until then, I better go do laundry.