Home Again, Home Again

Whenever we've been away from the house for awhile, when I pull into the driveway Addison bursts into song, singing:

"To market, to market to buy a fat pig,
Home again, home again jiggity jig."

Which is funny because it's the exact song I would sing as a little girl when we came home from a long trip. I went to see my best friend, Erin over the weekend and although I was only gone for five days, it felt like a very long trip.

You see, I originally planned to bring Andrew with me. Erin has a little four month old and we thought it would be fun, hanging out like old times except with the obvious addition of our baby-spawn. But, of course, things went wrong like they are prone to do when you have kids, and a week before I was supposed to leave, Andrew woke up in a miserable state. He was super sick. Since he usually bounces back from sickness fast, I decided to sit tight. After three days, it was clear he wasn't getting better, so I brought him to see the doctor. After much poking and prodding, it was decided that he had an "RSV-like" virus and was dangerous to other babies.

Grrrreat.

Our doctor told me that as long as he was coughing, he was contagious and I shouldn't bring him on my trip. And what do you know? He most certainly was coughing as I packed on Wednesday night. So, Justin was on his own for five whole days, and I was kidless.

Those who don't have kids won't understand how strange being kidless is. You spend all of your waking moments worried about caring for other people and then suddenly you only have to worry about yourself. WEIRD. I read a book on the plane, paged through a magazine and played Mario on my DS while the gentleman sitting next to me drank three tiny bottles of vodka. It was a two hour flight. Really, is that necessary?

The trip itself was fun. We did all of the throwback Erin and Jacqueline stuff we did while living at home. We went over our entire past dating histories, went shopping, spent two hours gossiping at the Tim Horton's and laid around watching bad reality shows and eating cookie dough. After being friends for almost 23 years, we've effectively done away with the need to be entertained in eachother's presence, and it was lovely.

I also slept like a baby.

Poor Justin was at home dealing with a very sick baby and a hyper four year old and was very ready for me to come home and take over.

Yesterday, flying home, it felt like I'd been away for months, not days. I came to the unfortunate realization that I've become a bit of a homebody. Or maybe not so much of a homebody than a family-body? A trip alone with my best friend was awesome, but coming down the escalator to get the world's biggest gummy smile from my baby boy and a big hug from Addison was awesomer. I dispensed presents and chocolate and kissed everyone roughly 1,000 times. Addie carried my suitcase while I carried Andrew and Justin pushed the empty stroller around the airport.

Even awesomerer? (Yes, I am aware that's not a word.) Flying across the Great Salt Lake and still feeling giddy about seeing the guy I've been coming home to for the last eight years.

So yeah, I'm totally blissed out and happy to be home. Everyone should take a few days vacation on their own to rest and relax, and then to figure out that resting and relaxing is no match for the chaos and craziness that your family can inflict. Apparently, it takes roughly five days.