SANS KIDS

Many months ago, some college friends and I began planning a girls weekend getaway (without kids, that is). The thoughts of boarding a cruise ship without any puffs or wipes spilling out of my purse; a meal with a glass of wine and without whine; sleeping in; and enjoying nonstop talk with girlfriends seemed so magical. As the cold weather came in January, I looked forward to my five day adventure even more.

But as the final days drew close, I became more and more anxious. Sure, the kids would be with A the entire time (and a road trip to Grandma S and Grandpa J was planned). I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that I could count on one hand the number of nights I'd been away from Jackson up until this point (and on two fingers for AA). I was filled with extreme guilt for accepting (and organizing!) this girls weekend. What kind of a mother was I? Of course, my feelings of apprehension shot through the roof as AA came down with a horrible virus (although we didn't know it at the time) just 48 hours before I was to leave ... high fevers, lethargy, conjunctivitis, runny, nose. She clung to me like never before.

But with prayer ... and pep talks from my husband and girlfriends, I decided to go. I boarded my plane last Thursday afternoon and came back Monday. I texted with A nearly every hour until our cruise set sail on Friday. I was even able to keep in touch while out at sea. Thank goodness for technology these days! Each phone call gave me more and more confidence in my decision to stick with my weekend. The kids did fine ... AA finally knocked her illness ... and JP eventually picked it up. JP and AA were spoiled by grandparents and A, I'm certain. They probably had no idea how much I missed them ... and how often I thought of them or told stories about them.

And I had a wonderful time. I cannot even begin to articulate how amazing it was to reconnect with old friends ... our lives have all changed so much since those college days many moons ago, but we still hold common ground. We laughed, ate, and drank. We exercised daily (!), and slept in (well, 7 AM). I read 2 books and took a nap. I had quiet time with the ocean waves in the background. It was simply rejuvenating. My feelings of guilt diminished as I realized that this short trip away was actually energizing.

I made it home just a few hours after A and the kids returned home from their long adventures up north. The kids ran to the top of the stairs to greet me ... and I will never, ever forget their smiles and hugs when seeing me. These are the moments I live for.

The kids were thrilled with their Bahamas souvenirs!