Traveling as a Mom

If you missed it, Cory and I just spent a weekend in California. An adults-only, couples retreat.  Well, for us.  We left Friday morning, and landed around noon.  We drove south to Huntington Beach, where we spent the first night. 

May I just say -- drool. 
Gorgeous. 
The sun, the surf, the stucco, the nice (clean) cars. 
The smell of the ocean air, the sound of pounding waves, palm trees. 
Drool.

We woke up Satuday and drove down to Paradise Point resort in San Diego.  We had one day of sun, and one day of overcast skies.  Man, I love the southwest.  Like, made-me-cry love the southwest.  I guess because I lived in Arizona for that period of time, and I learned to love living without winter, or snow.  And I fell in love with the desert, and the mountains, and the ocean (well, not in Arizona, of course, but on weekend CA excursions).  Yeah.  I'd live there in a beat of heart.

But it's different traveling now.  The day before I left, I had an are-my-ducks-in-a-row panic attack.  A phone call to my brother, an uncomfortable conversation about my preferences.  And then that doggonne turbulance.  With each bump, that never used to bother me, now total panic.  "I have boys to get home to.  Please don't let me die today."  Argh.  Rough.  Ask Cory.

And I love alone-time with the captain.  Love it.  But now, because of the rugrats, I found myself interjecting them into our activities..."Oh!  Wouldn't the kids just love to play in the sand?"  "Oh!  Wouldn't the boys love to collect seashells?"  I think of them all the time, and the fun they'd have -- going on an airplane, swimming in the pools, etc.  Their joy is mine.  I think that's true of parents everywhere.  I expect the next trip we take will be with them.

I strongly recommend, to couples everywhere, try to find time to be together.  If you can't get on an airplane, get away for an evening.  Or an afternoon.  Go see a movie, have dinner together, find some activity so that you remember -- in the midst of life, parenting, work -- why you are together.  That you still like each other.  I've always said -- if Cory and I don't work, then none of it works.  And I'm pleased to say, after a weekend away, we still work.  Amen.