There's No Place Like Home!

Whew!!! The trip to Cali is over and we are settled back into 'normal' life for a while. You only have to be gone a few days to appreciate just what you have at Home! I appreciate the light flow - if any - traffic. I appreciate colors, trees, non-stucko houses. I appreciate the laid-back feel of my life and not feeling rushed about. Did I enjoy the trip?! not really - if I'm being honest... and this is my blog so I can say whatever I want. There was not much to enjoy... although it was nice to spend a few brief moments with a couple of my favorite people.

We spent most all of our 2 days driving than we did with anyone. Friday was fly-in and an overnight visit with family. Then rush...rush to see my cousin on the way to stay with more family. Now - my time with my cousin  was hands down the best hour and a half of my trip. It was quite, relaxing and she was so much fun to talk with. There wasn't an urgency to go and do anything. So, then we were back on the road to rushing...to our son's ("N-25") house...put down bags and then drive to dinner...then short visit before heading off to bed. Sunday was get ready, go to church for the baby dedication, then stand around for an hour waiting for their family to figure out what we were all doing. Then drive and hour again 'down the hill' to stand around for an hour and half to wait to eat. The lunch (by this time it's after 3:30pm), then to the mall (which was completely against anything Rich and I wanted to do). Then back to the house to visit for a short time because now it's time for bed. Up early on Monday to drive to the airport - taking us 3 hrs and 45 min. to drive 75 miles....2 hours through security to our gate. Home finally at 11:30pm! Whew is right!

So, did I enjoy the trip - NO! What was there to enjoy? My daughter-in-law told me on the phone that they felt like we didn't get a chance to hang out... no shit! To us, Sunday was the ONLY day we had but it was consumed with all of the wasted going. No only did we have to burn up our time driving, but have lunch with her family - who sat at a different table, but continually waved and drew our grandson's attention from us ~  Rich & I were so uncomfortable. Then we burned up 2 flipping hours at the damn mall after we even said we didn't want to go. Oh, don't forget the hour back 'up the hill'. Yes, we have a grandson that doesn't know us from Adam. We saw him last when he was 6-month old. He was scared of us, like I said..we are just strangers to him. Had we not done all of the damn running around on Sunday, we may have actually been able to start some 'connection' there. I wish we could've just stopped the whole choatic trip and frozen time! To just have been selfish and said 'No' along the way - that we didn't want to share OUR brief time with anyone else - that we wanted to be able to sit and get to know our grandson and his parents!

We all knew going into this trip that we only had a brief time - it was for Rich to see his very small family before deployment and that we had to maximize the time we had. Didn't happen. But, the trip is over and we are back to our lives.

Coming up... Rich & I are off to Nashville this weekend for a "just us" getaway!