The Tennessee Trip

Tuesday my husband and two of my children took off for a week in Tennessee to visit relatives. My husband fretted and worried during the entire planning stage of this trip. What if something happens to me while I'm gone? How will you (me and the kids) make do? Do I really want to take two kids? What if, what if, what if... Of course, I just gently prodded him along reassuring him that the chance that he'd die in a plane crash or in a sudden winter storm was very unlikely, and even if he did, I am more than capable of taking care of things in his absence. I urged him to go and spend time with his brother. The kids would love seeing their cousins, and it was only a week, after all.

My husband hates traveling. He claims that he does not like being away from home and family. I never really understood that, especially in light of the fact that whenever he's around home and family he's usually in a grumpy mood. At times I wonder why he comes home from work at all. He seems happier at work than at home. And family vacations are sheer torture!

The funny thing was my husband actually suggested that ALL of us go to Tennessee. I had to restrain myself from laughing when he said it. Was he serious? I very gently reminded him that every time we go on vacation together, or even just out to dinner as a family, he always says the same thing: "Next time I suggest we do something or go somewhere as a family, remind me not to!" So I reminded him. "Honey," I said with a smile, "if we all go to Tennessee, WE will all have a great time, but YOU will be miserable."

So he only took two kids. Turns out the nine year old threw up on the plane - more than once. Mind you, in seventeen years of marriage my husband has never handled our children's vomit. Claiming a weak stomach, he usually steps out of the room and leaves me to handle the clean-up. I don't mind. We mothers have very strong stomachs. So, I have to admit I felt just the slightest twinge of satisfaction at hearing the news that my dear husband had to clean up after my son on the plane - and that he took it all in stride. Bravo!

All in all, I must admit that there was an underlying reason for my staying home while he went off to play in the Tennessee snow. While my husband hates to spend time away from the family - I LOVE IT!!!! Yep, Tuesday morning I kissed my husband and children good-bye, told them I love them and would miss them, and stood outside to watch them drive away. The moment they were out of sight I did a little dance, started singing to myself, and listed all the wonderful things I would enjoy in their absence: having my bed all to myself, throwing out whatever I want without having to justify it to anyone, watching a few movies without interruption, and going anywhere I please - again, without having to justify it to anyone! Heaven!

So here I am, oddly enough, watching my twelve-year-old sleeping soundly - in my bed. (My two teens and the toddler are home with me.) No, I didn't get my bed all to myself after all. And though I did watch two movies last night, I did it with my two year old jumping all over me and my son asking questions every two minutes. And I did take off on a spontaneous trip to Arizona, which made my husband furious when he found out and I still had to justify it, and it's day four of the Tennessee trip and I have nothing really to show for it. Well, that's not entirely true. I did throw out an old dresser and a broken high chair - and I didn't have to justify that to anyone!