When I Went Away

Convertible hair!

You may have noticed that I've been a bit MIA the last week or two.  That's because about two weeks ago, I left (on a jet plane) and flew back to my home state of Oregon.

Alone.

By myself.

Without children.

For five whole days!

That's right, my friends, no one called me Mom 73,000 times in an hour or asked me for a drink of water the second I sat down and I slept alone in a bed (albeit still scrunched on about six inches of the edge because some habits are hard to break).  I wasn't in charge of anyone except for me, myself, and I (and we're a handful sometimes).  I didn't make a meal for anyone.  In fact, twice, I didn't even make my bed!

It. Was. Amazing.

A view of the Columbia Gorge

It was so nice to be surrounded by people who've known me since way before I became that "autism/tired/always-late-and-kind-of-flaky mom."  It was nice to joke around and watch whatever I wanted to TV (cable TV in my room. Hello! The Hilton called and they are jealous of my accommodations).  I did silly, fun things like ride in a convertible for the first time or go to a karaoke bar (although I wasn't brave enough to sing).  I saw people I loved and caught up with old friends.  I visited beautiful, familiar places like Multnomah Falls and the Gorge and saw mountains and big trees and many, many hipsters.

And, you all, I haven't laughed that much for a long, long time. It felt so good.
  
While I was away, my husband did a great job keeping the kids alive and entertained.  He didn't even call or text all that much (and I had anticipated he would). 

My first evening away, I got the following phone call:
Me: Hello.
Husband: Hi.  Ah, where's the duct tape?
Me: Um, why?
Husband:  I just need it.  Where is it?
Me:  The cabinet in the kitchen.
Husband:  Thanks.  Here, talk to Katherine.

I then spend five solid minutes listening to Katherine alternate between giggling and heavy breathing.  The husband never comes back to the phone.

I wasn't worried.  Mostly.

A couple of days later, I get a text message.
Husband: Interesting Day.  We are now the proud owners of one very large Rastafarian Banana.
Then I got this picture:

Seems innocent enough, right? It was a little stuffed banana with dreds.  Doesn't seem very big either. Weird but not a big deal. Then I got home and met him in person.

He was just a tiny bit bigger then I imagined.  Even better, our new banana friend, given to us by our elderly neighbor across the street, had a hole in it. So the den floor looked something like this:

Good old Rastafarian Banana was like a gift that kept on giving.  He got duct tape over the hole because Katherine loved him so much, she insisted he sleeps in her twin-sized bed with her.

Sadly, just yesterday, our good friend banana friend rode off into the sunset, his final destination some garbage heap somewhere.  The kids haven't noticed.  Yet.

Multnomah Falls

I should probably say that I feel guilty about going on this trip but I don't.  I needed this mom-cation
more than air.  I love all my little people.  They are beautiful, sweet, loving gifts but they are incredibly high maintenance, a fact my husband now become very familiar with.  He pointed out, after I got back, how lonely it was to be at home with the kids all the time (yup), how much attitude Ben has (um, yeah), how Katherine really commits to a temper tantrum (most definitely) and how Gideon can get into a maximum number of things in a minimal amount of time (very true).  How thankful I am, though, to have a husband that saw how badly I needed a break and didn't bat an eye?

I came back from Oregon calmer, refreshed, lighter.  Of course, real life came back with a vengeance (dentist appointments, Daniel broke his glass, Gideon continued his rage rampage, and Katherine ended up with a trip to urgent care for a cut on her foot--all in the first 48 hours I was home).  Honestly, it seems like those five days happened in the distant past.  But it did happen and I have the pictures to prove it.

And you can bet I'm already planning next year's trip.  

__________

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