First Week Away without the Kids

It just so happened that Zig had to be in Washington DC for a week and his work there allowed for a lot of free time. He threw out the idea of me coming along. Erin and John are now living in DC so the wheels started turning in my head. This has been an exhausting summer/fall for many reasons and there are several house projects going on right now.....we have quite a few workers around everyday with at least a few more weeks to go. No privacy. All the beds in the living room (kind of fun, actually) Anyway, the day he mentioned this trip to me had been a particulary tiring one. As a mom, there are just times where you feel completely spent, and this was one of them. So, I said, yes! I'm coming! I am a HUGE HUGE wimp when it comes to leaving the kids. I have had many opportunities to do so with friends and I can never really do it. But, I think it is important (and fun) to take little breaks here and there. I asked Mom and Dad if they would both come to watch the kids. I knew mom would need backup. Not that she couldn't do it alone, but I knew the kids would LOVE to have Dad and together they could actually enjoy it rather it being so much work. Rollin needs his own person just to follow him around and keep him alive! Crazy boy. So, after having the girls call Poppy and tell him how badly they wanted him to come, he and mom made their flights.

Of course, after my flight was made and I prepared everything to leave, I started to get a bit anxious. I even kind of hoped I'd be sick. But I didn't get sick and there was no logical reason I shouldn't go. And I was excited. Although less excited than a week ago. See the mental gymnastics that go on in my head. I knew this was my last chance to see Erin before the her baby is born and my first chance in a long, long time to sleep in till my heart's content.

I was a little misty eyed the morning we left. I could not hug the girls snuggled up in their beds or I might not have walked to the car waiting outside.

The trip was great!I missed the kids terribly every day, but I was totally able to enjoy myself. I did sleep in until 12 the first day. Zig found that quite amusing. I loved seeing Erin and I poured out all the hugs and loves on Moriah that I felt for my wee ones back at home. Moriah blew us away with her huge vocabulary. And her "yogi yogi yogi!!!!" fits. We enjoyed her so much and loved seeing where John and Erin live.
























Zig and I went to Thomas Jefferson's place, Monticello, on Sunday and then just drove around the countryside and explored. It was a lovely day and fun to spend the time with Zig. At Monticello, we were the only ones really exploring the gardens. People seemed much more interested in the house. We were quite the opposite. We never even went inside the hosue. The gardens were just amazing....there were so many varieties of fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, etc. I've never thought I liked figs, but oh my gosh, these were amazing. I ate one of Thomas Jefferson's figs right off the tree! We bought lots of seeds to bring home and plant in the spring.

We went a few art museums, the botanical gardens and the monuments. I had to walk up to the Library of Congress to snap a photo for Sela. She gets kind of excited about the largest library in the world.

It was hot, hot, hot!! 90 degrees some days. Thankfully, we discovered this amazing little joint called SweetGreen with this very, very lightly sweetened yogurt softserve. It was basically plain yogurt made into softserve. THey had fresh fruit toppings and it was to die for. Much less sweet than ice cream or flavored yogurt. We are all addicted. Especially miss yogi, yogi, yogi Moriah.

The six days went by fast and I had a great time with Zig. I was also excited and ready to come home. Happy to hug my Nina and see Sela's expression at the bus stop. Rollin was a bit confused by my return and now he doesn't want to leave my side. They all did fine...had a blast with mom and dad. They went to the Issaquah Salmon Days, the pumpkin patch, and had lots of treats, I'm sure!