Friday, January 13, 2012

Watch out for the cactus

I'm not sure I mentioned this, but Santa brought me be best present since an engagement ring 9 years ago. In about 2 hours I am headed with my bags packed to the airport. My sweet husband will drop me off, BY MYSELF, with a purse full of books and snacks that I don't have to lock myself in the bathroom to read or eat. I will get on a plane here in Dayton where the temperature is currently 16 degrees. It will take me to Dallas where I'll spend 2 hours eating food court food, buying magazines and people watching, with no little people to attend to. I will then hop on one last flight and de-board in sunny Tucson, AZ (where it will actually be dark since it will be 7 pm. Whatever.) My aunt and uncle will greet me and there MIGHT be tears.

Since Thanksgiving was so difficult, Steve and my Aunt Sherry hatched a plan to send me to Arizona for a 4 night stay in the bleak of winter to get some family time. It couldn't have been a bigger or better surprise! How neither one of them let the cat out of the bag before I opened my gift on Christmas Eve is beyond me.

I'm excited to go somewhere sunny. I'm looking forward to seeing the desert (I've never been.) But I'm mostly excited to be with family. An extension of my mom. Someone who loves me unconditionally and has known me forever. Someone I laugh with and enjoy. Someone who flew here for a week and took care of me and my kids during some of the roughest weeks of chemo. Another piece of the healing process as I grieve the loss of my parents. Time with family.

I'm going to miss my kids. Weird. Even yesterday they were pushing the limits. But as I watched their little back packs leave the van and enter school this morning, I was missing them already. All the more reason to go. So that I can come back. Refreshed. Energized. Happy to see them.

Thank you, Steve, for holding down the fort while I'm gone. I miss you already, too. I'll dodge a scorpion for you!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's awesome! Have a great time.

Michele Braceros

betseykerr said...

I am so very excited for you! Your post nearly brought tears to my eyes (could be pregnancy hormones????)...I am just thrilled you get to have this little piece of tim eaway for YOU and to connect with family. What a blessing! Great job Steve and Aunt for comin up with such a wonderful gift! Enjoy every last second of it!

Tracy S. said...

Your description of the airport is exactly why I love to fly ... I really don't mind layovers because I can a) eat b) buy magazines c) people watch! I love it!!! I hope you have great trip!

jenny from mommin' it up said...

Hope you are having a blast! the kids were very cute at house church last night. I think Olivia was missing the other girl in the family, though! :) It was just the Rapson kids and Koproski kids and they had lotsa fun. Hide & seek!

Rose said...

Hope you have had a wonderful visit! Way to go to your Aunt and Steve for keeping it a secret! Little ears must have never heard about it or they would have been "busted"!!