A Mother's Heart

Au revoir!

Photo: Fanpop.com

I'm so excited I cannot stand myself--I'm off today for NINE DAYS in Belgium and France!  The best part?  This trip is a freebie for me, since I have a wonderful Mother-in-Law who is traveling for work and taking little old me along to keep her company!  I have shared this exciting news with tons of people and the most common response is a look of complete disbelief and/or suspicion, accompanied by the words, "Really?  You're going with your...Mother-in-Law?"  Like I just told them I am taking a 9-hour flight with my mortal enemy.  Yes!  She and I get along great!  She is sweet and generous, and her job is to BUY DIAMONDS!  What's not to like?

So, I'm excited.  But I am also scared.  I am leaving behind a 3 year-old and an 18 month-old, and an amazing husband who will be caring for them.  Nine days is by far the longest I have ever left any of them.  In fact, I never would leave them for that long except in the case of a free trip to Europe.  And it hurts my mother's heart.  I learned early on that as a mother, there really is no "vacation."  There's really no vacation if you take them with you; if you leave them behind you feel lost and lonely and distracted.  I am hoping that sensation gets better with time, so that when they are, say, in college I will be able to vacation in peace.  But for right now it's tough.  What's a Mom to do?

All I know to do is pray...for their safety and Hubs's peace of mind (I can't even imagine 9 days alone with them, and he's downright jolly about it)!  And for my own ability to truly relax and enjoy this break and all that comes with it.  And I will be skyping with them a few times--can't wait to see how that goes!

So I will miss you for the next week and a half and I am sure I will have a few stories upon my return.  Both mine and theirs...and maybe we'll do a few crafts when I get back too:)  See you then!