The Third Day

So, we're three days into one of my husband's megatrips overseas. He's in the UK this week, will be going to Ireland over the weekend (a sidetrip since it's too far to come home in between) and to Russia next week.

He's been traveling about 25-50% of the time since our first child was born. So, I've developed some very good survival strategies, but it doesn't make me feel any less sick when he leaves, especially for such a long time. His trips range from 1 day to 12 like this one.

The sick feeling comes from looking ahead to the tears and heartbreak of my kids missing Daddy, early morning soccer practices that I have to pack all 4 kids to go to (the non-participants being reluctant and angry about it too), being the sole homework-helper and the one who has to get everyone out in the morning, etc. Then, there's the what if someone gets sick. I get sick or worse (like we all get sick?). There's probably not a scenario we haven't weathered while Dave has been away including ER visits, major illnesses and a failed and leaking water heater.

However, the trick is to not look at the whole 12 days, but just to take it one day at a time. It's really amazing when you think about how far away he is. The kids look at the globe and point to all of the countries and states that Daddy has been to. He also has brought back some beautiful things from the many countries that our family can treasure. Of course, you can buy Russian nesting dolls in an import store, but how cool is it to buy them at a store the same day you were standing on Red Square? What about a boomerang from Down Under?

He doesn't like leaving us either since we cherish our family time together. He also misses the absolutely, crack-up funny times like when Lilly told me last night that there is a boy in her class that has been "observing" her. Can you tell she loves science? She then asked this boy what he had noticed about her. He then reported that she has a bald spot on her head. She then explained that it was simply how her hair parted. I was in hysterics!

So, so far, one mandatory church meeting for Andy's First Communion coming up in May of 2010 (which was a great reminder to me that God is there and I need to remember that), one late karate night getting home shortly before the twins' bedtime with homework stil hanging over us and one Open House at Lilly's new school tomorrow. Thankfully, our wonderful babysitter Valerie will be helping me that night. As much as Lilly wants to show off her school to her brothers, it's just another late night that all the kids don't need and I don't need to bring them to.

Casualities? One missed bus and a pig-sty of a house that I've devoted today to cleaning from top to bottom. It's about time that I learned the value of staying home and not running everywhere, especially when I'm flying solo!