Here and there...and back again...

I have traveled more in the past ten days than in the past ten months...at least it feels that way. It has been a busy, crazy time, and I am ready to be still for a few days. But at the same time, all the chaos provided a much needed break.

First, Kevin and I had the opportunity to take a "free" cruise. Neither of us had ever been on a cruise before, so it was a perfect--and relatively cheap--chance for us to see if we are cruise people. We had a wonderful time, and both of us agreed that another cruise is in our future.

However, we also noted an interesting aspect of cruising...it is frighteningly similar to going to camp. I fully believe cruise people were camp people years ago. Think about it...cruises have organized activities, a director of all things fun, scheduled meals, sneaky little ways to make you spend crazy amounts of money, and are structured in such a way that prompts the forging of new friendships...sound familiar? Every time we stepped onto the elevator, someone would say to the group, "Hi! Is this your first cruise?" I mean, how many times have you stepped on an elevator on a regular vacation and had someone say, "Hi! First time at a Embassy Suites?" I kept waiting to see people form a circle around the Lido Deck and start singing "Kumbahya."



Kevin and I noted that while we aren't exactly camp people, we thoroughly enjoyed snorkeling in the beautiful waters off Cozumel...

...relaxing on the beach and soaking up some rays (those are my toes right there--and that's as close as you'll get to seeing my fat behind in a swimsuit!)...

...and watching the sun set off the back of the ship. It was incredibly relaxing and a much needed escape for a few days.



I did notice, however, that my children were completely grown by the time we got home. Jackson starts college in the spring. Gosh. Perhaps that is overstating a tad, but he really did seem to be speaking more clearly, using different words and acting more and more like a big boy...and don't even get me started on Sadie! She is growing and changing every day, and she just looked so much less like a baby when we got home!


...at least that's how I remember it. I only got to see them a few hours before rushing off again. This time to a training seminar in the Dallas area.


When I talked to Sadie tonight, she was telling me all about getting her driver's license. Sigh. Jackson was unavailable for comment, as he was attending graduate school out of state.


As I sit in my hotel room, I realize that three years ago, this would've been a great little getaway for me...nothing like a little "me time"...but I'm homesick. I don't want to miss a thing, and yet I know I am. I know these are days that we can't get back...and no matter how small and insignificant the event, I'm not there to see it.



The trip has not been without its bright spots. Last night I had dinner with an old friend from high school. She and I hadn't been in touch in years, and a fluke email put us in contact! We had a great conversation, caught up with each other, and made plans to meet again. It was nice to see that people can grow and change, and still hold onto the parts that made them your friend in the first place.



Tonight I met my beautiful niece Christen for dinner and shopping. Now I'm back in my room, and trying to relax...hoping I'll manage to get to my training tomorrow without missing my exit...and counting the minutes until the weekend.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." ~Philippians 4:6 NIV

For years, I never understood what Paul meant when he wrote this verse. Growing up, I always believed that being anxious was a good thing. I took it to mean mean that you were looking forward to something, anticipating it. But in the last few weeks--in the last couple of years, really--it's occurred to me that the root word for anxious is anxiety.

(As my husband would say, "Thanks there Captain Obvious." One would think an English teacher would've caught on to that before now.)

As I sit here at 3 a.m., I am anxious.

Today is election day. I fully anticipate it to be a close race. I know in my heart that regardless of the outcome, my God is still in charge. I was listening to Christian talk radio last night, and a speaker made a very good point that as Christians, we should be less concerned about saving America and more concerned about saving Americans. My God will not change at the whim of a president.

But still, I am anxious.

In two days, Kevin and I are leaving for our first honest to goodness vacation since our honeymoon. We'll be gone for five days. On a cruise ship to paradise. Our kids will be here with people that love them and will take great care of them.

But I am anxious.

While we've both spent a couple of nights away before, we've never spent five nights away. And as luck would have it, both kids decided to get runny noses this weekend. Sadie likes to add to my guilt by coughing and being unusually clingy. What if I leave and she gets really sick?

I am anxious.

Jackson is at that age where he quite literally brings joy to my soul all the time...like when we're in JC Penney last night and he thought the lady on the loud speaker was talking just to him, so he'd answer her... and when she said, "And as always, thank you for shopping at JC Penney," he replied, "You're welcome!" What if he thinks we've abandoned him?

I am anxious.

To make matters worse, when we return from our trip, I will have to turn right around and go to a training seminar for three days. Again, away from my babies.

I am anxious.

As I was laying in bed tonight, listening to my baby girl cough, wondering what kind of mother leaves her children for that long, it hit me that there is a second half to that verse. In the darkness, I tried to make my requests known to God, but all I could manage was

"I am anxious."

Halloween 2008...Times Two

You might not have noticed, but Halloween fell on a Friday night this year. One might think that would be a rather convenient night for trick or treating. Not so in small town Texas. Friday nights are reserved for high school football, silly. So Saturday, November 1st was designated Halloween for us.





This little change created quite the moral dilemma for my dear husband. You see, November 1st is not only Halloween around here, it's also the opening weekend of deer season. Hmmm...go to deer lease and do man things for an entire weekend, or spend two hours in the chaos that is down town trick or treating? Decisions, decisions...



Me being the supportive, loving wife I am, suggested a compromise. Instead of heaping on the guilt, I thought it might be fun to take the kids to a few family members houses on Thursday before he departed on Friday. I also liked this idea because it let us get twice the wear out of our costumes.

Jackson was pretty stoked about the idea too. He had a great time ringing door bells and saying "Trick or Treat!" just like the old days.

He got ninja swords from Nannie and Dado,

new Crocs from Nana and Aunt Robin,

a stuffed deer from Aunt Judy, stickers and giant lollipops from Cody and Karen, trucks from Aunt Kim and Uncle Jed, and a "Jackson friendly" goody bag from Aunt Christi and Uncle Andy. It was just like Christmas!







Saturday was definitely an equally great time for both Jackson and Sadie. Our police/fire department close down part of mainstreet so that downtown businesses can entertain trick or treaters for two hours. I thought this was a great idea even before I had kids and loved handing out candy at my dad's office. This year we got to be a part of the craziness. Jackson's cousin Eli came down to join us, and the boys had a great time, especially when Elmo came to visit (Eli was brave and shook hands with him, but Jackson simply smiled and waved from a safe distance. I think the fact that his Elmo at home is two feet tall and this one was three times that).








Sadie did not have a treat sack, but she was perfectly happy as long as she was in the middle of the action. If we took her inside the office, she was not a happy camper. The plus side to wearing her costume twice was that she actually kept the hat (a.k.a. the stem of the strawberry) on for the entire two hours!

All in all, it was a win-win situation for everyone. Kevin got to be a part of the festivities AND do manly deer hunting things (including shooting a deer), I got more for my money in costume wear, and Jackson got twice the candy. There were no losers in the Reed household this weekend!