And we are childless for 5 days. The first time in almost 6 years that we have had the house absent of children while we were in it. Of course there have been occasions when one or both of us were away for a few days sans kids, but never HOME without kids.
And its oddly lonely.
When my dad asked this morning before the funeral we were all attending, Jim and I both thought "wow, a few days alone, what will we do?". And we agreed that our kids and my niece would love to spend the time together with grandma and grandpa. They only see Lainie once or twice a year, usually for only a few hours at a time, yet they are all great companions whenever together.
So after the funeral we came back home, packed up our two, and sent all three kids (my brother and sister in law sent my niece with gma & gpa to our house) off to the great up north - a short (NOT) 5 hour drive away.
And I cried as I spied my baby waving good bye to me for the first time ever - leaving me alone for 5 days.
I am used to Mantha's departures. She makes them every other weekend. And in the summer she is gone the month of August. But other than hospital stays, conferences for work or Relay, and a few short vacations to Dayna's house, I haven't ever really left Jadon.
And then the rush of worries hit.
I was no longer in control of their safety. It was all in the hands of my dad and step mom. And I trust them absolutely whole heartedly. But to be that far away on that long of a drive, I don't trust the other people on the roadways.
I am trying to be the good mom and not be smothering, and waiting for their call that they arrived safely, but it doesn't change the fact that until I hear from them I will worry.
And that leaves Jim and I with the idea: what do we do now? We just decided that we will trek 20 miles further into the country then we already dwell for dinner tonite (one of those way off the beaten path, smaller than a shoe box, but people pack in like hogs to slaughter from all over Southern MN because the food is so good places). We have a neighborhood party tomorrow night, but all the time hither and yon is ours to do as we wish.
All this time and no idea what to do with ourselves.
Yikes.
