Home again

I loved having six days with my mom, my sister, and her new baby! Those hours that passed by with a tiny, quiet baby girl snoozing away peacefully on my chest are invaluable. Those conversations with my sister and my mom over lunch, while out for an evening walk, or while sorting through and folding piles of tiny pink & purple onesies and dresses covered with hearts and butterflies were priceless. I enjoyed having the time to cook and bake without being asked to come play with the tractors or build a fort in the living room. I enjoyed the opportunity to go for a long walk all while garage saling and having no schedule. I enjoyed the warm night air and the sounds of the Cicadas and other Kansas critters. We don’t have Cicadas in Wisconsin like they do in Kansas. Occasionally, I’ll hear one singing it’s night time song, but in my sister’s neighborhood, they can stop a conversation. They’re almost ear-piercing. It’s a little eerie how loud one bug can be on its own, but it’s amazing what a whole chorus of them can do!


I am so glad I went to see my sister… but I was also so happy to get home. Our flight home was not the smoothest flight I’ve been on. We experienced a fair amount of “rough air” as the captain referred to it. They used to call it turbulence; I’m not sure why or when they started calling it rough air. Anyway, it didn’t feel the best on top of already being overtired and forgetting to eat lunch. Our flight was at 12:30, so although we had eaten breakfast, we got to the airport shortly after 11:15, so we didn’t think about lunch. By the time our plane landed at 1:45, I didn’t feel the best. I was tired, hungry, in need of a restroom break, and just ever so slightly airsick. Nothing a Burger King Whopper Jr couldn’t cure! …after a pit stop at the airport restroom of course! On my way home, I couldn’t wait to see my little boy, yet at the same time I sort of hoped he’d still be napping when I got home so that I could catch just a couple of minutes of rest before he woke up! He was awake when I got home. He was riding his bike (Radio Flyer Classic Tiny Trike) through the dining room. When I came in, he was excited, but didn’t want to get too close. I didn’t exactly get the cold shoulder, but he ran around the house pointing out all of his toys to me and everything he was doing. He didn’t let me hug or kiss him or even hold him for the first half-hour or so, but I got wise!

I know he loves to watch TV, mostly because he doesn’t get to do it very often, since we only have one TV and it’s in my bedroom. So, I asked if he wanted to watch TV (or “Wee-Vwee” as he calls it). He raced to my room and stood next to the bed waiting to be lifted up onto it, saying “Wee-Vwee on?”. I found a suitable cartoon, Curious George, I think, and laid down on the bed next to him. For the first 10 or 15 minutes of the show, he scooted away from me and said “Moooove” every time I tried to put and arm around his shoulders or smell his fuzzy blonde head. But, before the show was over, he was a snuggly little bear, kissing and hugging me, rolling all over me, and playing with my hair. I was in heaven. I could have melted right there. It was the best feeling in the world.

Cliff got home from work about two hours after I got home. I had pulled the ingredients out for Chili, but when I called to ask how soon he’d be home, he said he had planned on having Spaghetti & meatballs for dinner and that there was a bag of meatballs and a package of store-bought garlic toast in the freezer. Perfect! I threw together the spaghetti and put the garlic toast in the oven. It was delicious. As much as I love being at my sister’s house, still there is no place like home after being away for a few days. I relished every moment of sharing this simple meal with my thoughtful husband and my sweet little boy. I was so thankful that I had the opportunity to “get away” and that my hubby is such a good Dad and that he and Gavin had fun together while I was gone. They made me “Welcome Home” signs while I was away and hung them up in the mudroom so that I’d see how much they missed me when I came home. The dishes were washed, the laundry was done, and the house wasn’t nearly the disaster I imagined it might be. What a welcome.

Falling into bed that night felt so good… my bed, my room, my love by my side… my little guy tucked in all warm and snug in his big boy bed after a slightly prolonged bedtime snuggle. We may have read a few extra books, snuggled a few minutes longer, and exchanged a few extra goodnight kisses. I had missed him. I had missed them both. I was glad to be home.