I Survived!

I'm happy to report that I actually survived a vacation without Blake! It actually was easier than I thought it would be! Of course, I called every day - and not necessarily just once a day - to see what he was up to. He was usually so busy playing with one grandparent or another that he really didn't have much time to talk to me or to his Daddy. I guess that makes me happy. I managed to get an "I Love You" out of him on the phone - enough to sustain me! We were gone from him for 5 days. That may not seem long to some of you - but if it doesn't, that means you either 1) don't have kids yet, 2) you've left your little kids for more than overnight before and already know you actually WILL survive, or C) your kids are grown up enough that you can't even remember what it felt like to have your heart yanked out of your chest the first time you had to leave them.

Kelly and I had a great 10th anniversary celebration in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We learned how to talk to one another without talking about Blake. We learned how to have dinner with each other without either of us wiping each other's chin or cutting up each other's food. We learned what it felt like to leave home/the hotel without lugging a diaper bag or big purse full of goodies. We learned what it was like to take a picture of scenery without a little dude in the foreground. We learned what it was like to stay out late and go crazy into the wee hours of the morning. OK...we all know that Kelly and Joanie don't actually go very crazy.

We kept the strangest schedule...a true vacation schedule.

Sleep in until 8:30 or so.
Get up, showered, dressed.
Breakfast in the hotel.
Hit the streets by 10:00 a.m. or so.
Do those vacation things until 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening.
Back to the hotel to get showered again to wash off the beach or the humidity from the rain forest.
Take a nap around 7:00 p.m.
Get up and get redressed in nicer set of clothes.
Hit the streets 9:00 p.m.
Sit down for dinner at 10:00 p.m.
Eat a multi-coursed, fancy dinner out of our normal price range.
Finish dinner around midnight.
Hit the casinos until 2:00 a.m. and pay for dinner....or at least...one of us paid for dinner!

It was a crazy schedule - but very fun.

Our adventures during the day included checking out the beaches - though neither of us our into working on our tan - seeing the old forts in the city (built in the 1500's - very amazing structures) - visiting the rainforest - (when the hike says it is a 40 minute hike one way and "moderately" difficult - they aren't overestimating) - visiting the Bacardi rum distillery (most rum distilleries produce about 125,000 gallons of rum each year - this one produces 150,000 gallons of rum each DAY) - and going deep sea fishing (Dramamine and Meclyzine don't do much for some people (like me) when the seas are 3-5 feet and you are in a 35 foot fishing boat).

It was a fun experience and I realized how long it had been since I'd been in my high school Spanish class. The drivers down there are CRAZY - sort of like what you'd expect in Mexico. Lane markers really don't mean anything, and a road can go from 3 lanes to 2 lanes without any warning. Lots of intersections don't really have stop signs - so it is an adventure! I never would have been surprised to see a car coming toward me on what I was sure was a one way street - you just got to where you expected something crazy to happen on the road!

It was also an almost free trip - flying on miles, staying on points, car rental (3 of the 4 days) on points, airport parking on points. I think all that "free" stuff fueled our adventures in dining and gambling. Thankfully, Kelly's winnings at the tables covered my losses at the slots! Be sure to ask Kelly what he'd do if he were dealt a 4 and a 7 in Texas Hold Em!

Thanks to many of you who prayed for us...specifically for me to be a big girl and not cry over my baby boy every moment. The prayers worked and I didn't cry until we got back to DFW. Kelly's parents were there to meet us with Blake. There were 2 soldiers on our flight who were coming home from Iraq. I'm sure people at the airport and on our plane thought I was one of them - or that I'd been away from my son for many more days than 5! It was a FABULOUS reunion as he ran towards us yelling "Mommmmy....Daddddddyyy". I couldn't kiss him fast enough. After the 1st 100 kisses from he, he was pretty much more interested in the baggage carousel than getting more kisses. He asked me what that silver thing was. I told him it was a baggage carousel and he asked me where the horses were. What a smartie pants! He started hollering out "hurry up suitcases" and entertained others waiting on their bags and thinking the same thing.

Bottom line - it was a great trip - nice to be just with Kelly for a change - and wonderful to return to our sweet boy. I wouldn't want to travel too much without him - but now and then will be a good thing, and now I know I can survive it!