Home Sweet Home

I'm back home now after a few days away with friends. There are no words in the English language strong enough to express how wonderful it was to get away and not have any responsibility for four entire days.

However, imagine that joy times a million, and that's how happy I was to come home to my sweet little boy and dear husband -- who never complained once about holding down the fort and letting me have a long break. The fact that it was snowing in Utah and in the 80's in Oregon this week made it much easier to come home as well. Please someone remind me to bring a parka next time I go to Utah.

This entire experience was great in so many ways:

• Absence makes a heart grow fonder. I thought of my family constantly and talked to them on the phone a ridiculous number of times each day. I realized just how happy they make me.
• All that G accomplished without my nagging and supervision. I had confidence in his abilities to handled things on his own, but he surprised me. The house was immaculate, a large project was started and mostly completed, Buddy was happy and kept busy the entire time, he had an early Mother's Day gift waiting for me, and he even socialized with lots of friends -- throwing a party for work friends, visiting the zoo, taking Buddy to Burger King, watching the big boxing match, and having a BBQ with the other lonely dads. Whew... he almost makes me look bad.
• My first morning there I called in the morning to check on G and Buddy. G was doing great, Buddy was an emotional wreck. He literally sobbed as he asked me to come home because he ''needed" me. He told me he was eating oatmeal "just like you," even though it's not his favorite breakfast. He knows I like it and I always want him to eat it with me. I wanted to cry hearing how sad he was, and to know that he does love me. It's easy to wonder when he's constantly yelling at me when I'm home.
• Seeing my three year-old run as fast as he could into my arms at the airport made my year. Maybe even my life. After all those years of hell wanting a child... Ah, I've achieved that, and it's so much better than I thought it would be. He was so genuinely happy to see me. He kept taking his sunglasses off on the way home so he could see me better.
• I got home midday on Sunday and Buddy is still behaving like a complete angel. He is trying so hard to make me proud of him and I've lost track of how many times he's told me he loves me or asked me if I think he's being a "good boy."
• The privilege of spending my vacation with two hilarious and terrific friends. If I wasn't spending so much time thinking of my little boy, I would have forgotten I was 'just' a mom. Long talks, late nights, crazy driving, and risque dresses were highlights of the trip. I'm sure hanging out with me that long made them even more anxious to get back to their families...
• Nonstop shopping and food fest. Why does the shopping and food in Utah seem so much better than back at home? Oh yeah... Cafe Rio and Park City outlets.
• A fabulous hotel in Park City. Despite the trouble with the thermostat and some alleged bed bugs.
• Oh, and the Women's Conference was really good too. I actually only hit a few talks, but I chose wisely and really enjoyed them. Has anyone noticed my good attitude and increased faith since I've been home?
  

Oh, and before anyone calls the authorities, G was just kidding when he said he "threatened" to feed Buddy to the grizzly bears. Jeez... I warned him that not everyone that reads this blog knows his sense of humor.