Jason and I just returned from a trip to Dallas, without kids, to see our friends Ben and Karen. Without kids. Can I just say that again? WITH.OUT.KIDS. Do you have any idea how wonderfully, amazing it was? One day, I ate a bowl of cereal at 11:15 am. One morning, Jason brought me a cup of coffee and a brownie in bed. I just sat there and relished every sip. I saw two movies in a theater. I bet I hadn't seen two movies in a theater in six or eight months before that. One night, I stayed up till 2:30, by choice, holding a precious four week old baby while she slept on my chest-and I enjoyed watching every breath she took. No one needed me for 72 hours! And this isn't even touching on the real reason we had such a great trip-Ben and Karen. It was so great to spend time with them just talking and catching up (and having someone to laugh with me at Jason). Karen said it best when she said, "You know you have found a good friendship when it is just easy". That is exactly what the time together was-easy. We never cared what we were doing or where we were going. But whatever we were doing or wherever we were going was a blast.
Hallie, the newest addition to the Wright family, is absolutely precious. She seems to be taking on the laid back disposition of both her parents. You barely even knew she was there. I think she is extremely blessed to have such kind and joyful parents. I don't think she will ever know what stress is because it doesn't seem to exist in either Ben or Karen.
Backing up now a little-I think every possible thing was working against us on going on this trip. Three days before we left, Lane got a sinus infection. Rattled me a little knowing that I was trying to leave, but really no big deal. One day of antibiotic and he was fine. One hurdle overcome. Then we find out that my sister, who is supposed to have my kids for most of the time I'm gone, has to go to a funeral on Friday and Saturday that was out of town. Of course I understand, since I myself would have been at that funeral had I not had a plane ticket to Dallas already paid for. Still, a little moment of stress to now have to make other arrangements for my kids on such short notice. Also the fact that imposing on friends is just never your first choice. My girlfriend Meg saved the day and took them for Fri night and Saturday. Another hurdle overcome. 1:40am on Thursday morning, Amelia has what I thought was an asthma attack. She came into our room gasping for air, crying and panicking, unable to breathe. I used all her rescue meds and she started moving air pretty well. We woke up at 6am with a huge decision to make. I listened to Amelia to try to make my decision and she sounded great. I didn't hear any wheeze or coarseness. But I was still pretty shook up by night before. Very reluctantly, we decided to go on. I took her inhalers to the nurse, took her to school, and started my second guessing. After a call to the doctor, I discovered it wasn't an asthma attack, but croup. Great. I just took my contagious child to school and am getting ready to fly away in an air plane.
This is where the great friends come in once again. Ashley went and got Amelia from school, filled her prescriptions, and took care of her for the next day all the while exposing her son to my sick daughter. She was very gracious in her attitude about the whole thing. Even through all this, the kids had a blast there. I knew they were in good hands. Thank you Ashley and Joe for your willingness to help and your graciousness in a less than ideal situation.
I mentioned my great friend Meg before. She is the one that took my kids for the time my sister needed to be at the funeral. Yeah-did I mention she herself has two year old triplets? Need I say anything more about what a great friend she is?
I only wish this story were over, but, No. The kids finally got to my sisters house Saturday evening just in time for Lane to come down with some sort of a stomach virus. He was up all night screaming, apparently, and threw up all Sunday morning. You know someone who cleans up your kids vomit off their couch, repeatedly, is a great friend.
So you know people are just lining up to keep the Tomlinson children. Yeah, no.
Can you stinkin' believe that all this happened while we were away? Who is trying to punish us for spending a little time together and with friends? I have a new ability to relate to those parents who refuse to leave their kids for the fear that something like this would happen while they were all the way across the country. I guess it actually could happen. But you know what? I still say, Go! Beside the feelings that our kids were an imposition on my friends, I say, that's what friends are for. And I can only say that because I would not even hesitate to keep any one of their kids in the same situation if it meant they got to go away and be together. It's good for you to go away and focus on being married and being a friend and being an adult. Rather than being a mommy and only a mommy-24/7. So plan a trip, now. And yes, I will keep your kids!
Thank you again, Ashley, Meg, Gina and families for blessing our family with the ability to take this trip. That gift is greatly appreciated.
Amanda, Karen, and I enjoying a little New Moon Madness at the 12:01am showing on Friday morning. So fun to finally meet Amanda in person although I've been reading her blog for almost 2 years!
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