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Posted by Arwen Mosher in Family on Thursday, May 21, 2009 11:04 PM
For months, my husband and I have been looking forward to this coming week.
When we were sleep-deprived, when we were overwhelmed, when the long Michigan winter was getting us down, one of us would remind the other what was coming the last week of May. We’d both smile, thinking about it.
We’re going on vacation! Not just any vacation, but our absolute favorite kind of vacation. On Saturday we’re driving up to Bryan’s parents’ place in northern Michigan. We’ll spend eight nights there. For the entire week, we have absolutely nothing planned.
This would be horrible for some people. My father-in-law, for instance, loves to go out and do stuff, and gets very antsy if his day is not filled with activities. But neither Bryan nor I is a sightseer by nature. Our idea of a perfect afternoon is one that has nothing to fill it but a good book, a glass of icy lemonade, and the possibility of a nap.
Of course, vacations as the parents of young children are very different than the ones we took before we had kids. I remember the first time we took a trip after Camilla was born. She was about six months old, and I was mildly surprised that I didn’t feel nearly as relaxed as I had when we’d taken getaways before her arrival. In retrospect, I can see I should have expected it - it’s not like we were leaving diaper changes, feedings, or nighttime wake-ups at home! Wherever a baby goes, those things go too.
Bryan and I will still have all the normal tasks of parenthood to keep us busy next week, but those will be the only things we’ll have to do, so it will be much easier than it is when we’re trying to juggle work and housework and the rest of our lives. Plus, our dear friends who are Blaise’s godparents are coming with us, and we’re thrilled at the prospect of a whole week of their company.
I do sometimes think wistfully of the vacations we took in our pre-parenthood days, but the trade-off is very much worth it. Vacations as parents are more difficult, but also more rewarding. Our precious children are well worth trading in those lazy lemonade- and reading-filled days.
However, next week I am going to make sure I get at least one afternoon nap.
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Sounds perfect to me! We are looking forward to a cabin vacation in September - lots of nature walks & caves nearby, but also lots of relaxing in the middle of nowhere.
Enjoy yourselves & have a safe trip!
We’re doing “staycation” again this year. We pinched pennies all year in all kinds of creative ways and thought we’d finally be able to take the first vacation we’ve had since our oldest was born (10 summers ago), only to find out our income is being slashed 12% all summer and through September. The only place left to cut was our vacation.
At least my kids aren’t complaining. They’ve never been on vacation, so they don’t know what they are missing.
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