I Ran Away From Home

Well, I don't know if I can really say I that I ran away from home since my husband booked my airline ticket and drove me to the airport...

I came out to Colorado Springs to visit the beautiful mountains...oh, and one of my best friends.  Nikki and I have been best friends for 24 years...only about 3 of those years have we lived in the same town.  We only see each other about once a year, but we talk on the phone several times a week.  When she picked me up from the airport last night, no one would have ever known it had a been a whole year since we last saw each other.  I love that!  I love how we can pick up right where we left off and never miss a beat.

We don't have a lot planned for the week I will be here.  In fact, today she ended up having to work all day.  I have to admit, I wasn't too disappointed in the idea of having the entire day to myself.  It's the perfect start to my vacation.  As I sit here in bed, writing, with no thoughts of making breakfast for anyone or no one calling me "mom", I am quite at peace!  Tomorrow we will leave for Vail and stay there for the rest of my time here.  I love not having a solid itinerary!

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to be here - for so many reasons.  I'm excited to spend a week with Nikki and catch up and just hang out.  I'm mostly excited for the opportunity to miss my kids.  I know that sounds bad, but it's true!  This summer I have had many long stretches of time where I haven't been away from the kids (except maybe at church when we all go to our different classes), but we have been together A LOT.  I got to that point of  "if someone calls me Mom one more time or asks me one more question, I might just explode" way too many times these last few months.  Nothing traumatic happened this summer, it was pretty calm and uneventful, and I'm grateful for that, but even normal life can wear on a girl.

Quinn and I learned pretty early on that in order for this whole Pilot Life thing to work for us, I need time.  Time away.  Actually, I probably get more time away with friends or by myself than most of the moms I know.  I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am to have a husband who not only understands what I need, but does what he can to give it to me.

As I was preparing to leave, I felt a little guilty... Not really about leaving the kids (remember, terrible mom here) but about leaving Quinn.  I believe it's important for him to experience just a piece of what I go through, but I also know how miserable it can be sometimes doing it all on your own without anyone to back you up or just laugh at the craziness with you!  Don't get me wrong, I have the utmost faith that he will be able to handle it - probably ten times better than I do - he's amazing - but I do still feel a little guilty for leaving him alone!  -I'm sure it will pass!

Well, I would love to keep rambling on, but I have a busy day ahead... An uninterrupted shower, a stroll through the Garden of the Gods, a little shopping and then I will pick up Nikki's girls and take them for a pedicure before we pick up Nikki at work... Tough day!