First, here's one of Juan Carlos's little heart-people. I don't know why but they just make me smile.
Tomorrow I leave for Houston. All.By.Myself.
I was trying to figure out how many days I've spent without my kids AND my husband since I became a mom nearly 10 years ago. The first time was when my grandpa died in April 1992 while we were living in Venezuela. I left Margarita (then 4 years old) and Julio (then 18 months) with Guapo for 3 nights. Then in December 1993 I went with my good friend to Miami for 2 nights and 3 days of crazy Christmas shopping. We bought WAY too much stuff and ended up having to ship numerous boxes to Venezuela which wasn't cheap.
So that's it-5 nights/7 days in 10 years. Not a lot-but it's hard to leave. I spend a lot of time thinking I could use a break and then when the time's upon me it's hard to go.
My life is mostly about my kids right now. I try to keep up on things that I enjoy doing, but if something needs to get sacrificed, that's what goes first. I have mixed feelings about leaving. These feelings include, but are not limited to: excitement, guilt, anxiety, relief, selfishness. I think I am getting a stress-induced cold sore and my fingernails are mostly gone from biting them.
I'm lucky to have a husband that says, "Go. It will be good for me to be with the kids for a few days. Have fun." (Am I a bad person for hoping he suffers just a tad?)
I am looking forward to just being by myself. I like to be by myself. I am staying with friends in Houston that we knew in Venezuela. They are our dear friends, but not like let's-stay-up-and-brush-each-other's-hair-and-giggle kind of friends. I will be able to come and go as I please, take a nap if I want or go to bed early.
Not that I'm going for long enough to take a lot of naps-I will leave tomorrow night, arrive in Houston on Wednesday morning, stay in Houston Wednesday and Thursday nights and then leave Friday evening to arrive back here on Saturday morning.
I am looking forward to:
- Flying alone. I don't even mind that two of my nights gone will be spent on an airplane. I have made so many flights with kids I stopped counting years ago. Even when they are well-behaved, which is most of the time, I am still a nervous wreck waiting for something to happen.
- Carrying 1 passport instead of the wad we normally travel with
- Target. Get ready for the Consumer Confidence Index to go up.
- Going to the temple. We don't have one here and it's been a while.
- Driving without a driver. Ahhhhh, freedom.
Margarita and Julio are fine with me going. Excited in fact; they want the American goods. Poor Juan Carlos is pretty sad about it-he keeps asking me why can't Gaupo go instead. And Pedro-poor little guy doesn't know what's coming. He loves Vanessa the maid though so I think he'll be ok. I keep having a fear that I am going to forget my breast pump-that would not be a fun plane ride.
I probably won't post again until the weekend.
Tchau.
12 comments:
I am envious. I can't remember any night that I have had with out my husband or kids since giving birth. My husband and I have snuck off but never me along. Have fun!
Oh, Gaberiela, I know how you feel I was so excited about going to a conference downtown a couple weeks ago and,then when it came I was gone all day long form 9am-10 pm.We had a break about 3pm I found my self looking at my watch at 2:30pm when we went to my friends hotel room down town I call my husband and son when I spoke to my son it hit me I miss my little family .The resaon I didn't go back home b/c on firday 's there is a whloe lot of traffic in the city it was not worth drving back and forth.I haven't left my son since he was born he is 6 ,Gaberiela you are bless to have a hubby that tells you go get away and rest and leave the kids with him!! my hubby would never tell me that (I think he would be lost with out me)but I would love to get away once in a while. And I love to shop by myself I don't mind getting togerther with girls freinds and shop that is all ways fun however I am much like you I don't mind being alone and love driving off by myself I don't know what I would do if I had a driver?
But the weather is a nice change for you and everything well be in English and you can take a nap like your cat!! You are just having gulit feelings but you will be ok it's normal you a mom,
I will be 3 hours away from you!! My blog firend "Living la Vida loca" how cool is that !! if you want to I know you will be busy you can email me and I can call you and we can chat for a bit ,I have free long distance my email is on my blog .
I hope you have a nice stay with your friends sorry didn't mean to make these so long I am sure you are going to have fun! and lots of shopping! and american food!! have fun ,amiga!! marina
have so much fun! I wish we were closer to Houston~ I'd love to say hi :)
You have a nice husband...mine would be whineing, especailly about having a nursing baby to keep :)
mom's need to do that more...I need to remember that and not just say it.
I've been away from the kids for 3 nights total--a girls weekend in California. So, I feel for you. While I was gone, they all threw-up my husband had to manage it all without me. I did feel bad but truth be known, not really bad. Mostly glad it happened while I was gone.
Ooooh! It's great to get away now and then and remember that you actually have an identity outside of "Mom." Sometimes I forget that's not my name. Really!
Have a marvelous time!!
Have so Much fun and sleep through the night for me too:)
I love the little heart man. That makes me smile too. How fun to get away for awhile all by yourself (I like to be by myself too). I hope you have a fun time.
Have a great time!
I'm like you, right now my life is pretty much my kids. Which is not a bad thing by any means. I'm not sure how many nights I've been away from the kiddos but I'm thinking around 7-10 in 10 years.
DH and I need a get-away.
ooooooo. Have fun. Remember your breast pump. I'll be looking for that Consumer Confidence Index to soar.
I can't wait for your new shoes pictures! And I won't fall for pretend new hairstyles this time. Have a safe and pleasant flight.
I forgot to say how much I love that little heart man. Cuteness!
Hey--you're on this side of the border this week! Have so much fun! (And remember, Target will be around for a long, long time...it will even be here when you retire and live in the states again, 40 years from now!)
Post a Comment