I've had a pit in my stomach all day. Tomorrow I'm getting on a plane and going to my sister's graduation from Wheaton College. She has been working very hard on her Master's for the past two years and by golly I am gonna be there to applaud her incredible achievement. Her degree is in biblical exegesis (I don't know) and there are only about 9 girls in her program. Yeah, my sister kicks butt. So the pit in my stomach... Well, I had to choose one of two pits - the pit from knowing I was going to fly on an airplane with my toddler, or the pit from knowing I would be leaving my toddler behind. So I chose the second pit because I really do want to witness the graduation ceremony.
Tomorrow night will be my first night away from Jackson. I will be gone from him for 56 hours, barring any travel chaos. I'm not going to worry about him, but oh my goodness I'm going to MISS HIM! Curt's parents were sweet enough to time a visit to coincide with this weekend. There will be no shortage of love or attention. I fully trust my husband's ability to care for his son for a full weekend, but I reasoned with Curt that even I - Jackson's very mother - wouldn't want to be the only parent for 56 hours.
I'm looking forward to seeing my sister's cute apartment and campus, meeting her friends and professors, and hanging out in her favorite places. We will make some great memories. My two goals are to eat some Chicago-style pizza and sleep late at least once.
Tonight we had dinner with Steve and Cozy at Babe's Chicken Dinner House. It is an experience. Y'all, I can put away some food but I didn't even come close to finishing my chicken fried steak. And I was a little sad about it because I didn't want to stop tasting it! Then we ended up with coconut cream pie (made from scratch) on the table and I had to have a moment of silence to observe the party going on in my mouth.
As we were leaving I nestled my face against Jackson's cheek and kissed him on the ear. And it was sweet. Not just because my son is sweet, but because he had some sweet creamed corn in his ear. As well as mashed potatoes in his hair. And in his sandals. And then there was the dollop drying on my purse. Remind me to wipe that off before I head to the airport.
Awe ... have a super time at the graduation. I think we all had our first time. It's truly the hardest. Just think of the SUPER! HUGE! HUGS! and KISSES! you'll get at hour 57 - 1 gazillion!
ReplyDeleteAnd seriously- you ate coconut cream pie off the table? That's my kind of restaurant :)
Save room for the Chicago-style pizza!! I had my first treat when I visited. When I returned back home, I think I may have grieved a little over the pitifulness of our pizza here...no joke.
ReplyDeleteAnd it was today that I found out about acceptance into the program at Wheaton. (Girl - if you only knew how much I am not trying to direct attention to myself here; It is a total Jesus miracle). Lord directing and willing, I'll keep the lipstick and chi-hair days of femininity rolling in the program as one more girl there :) I cannot wait...Have a blast. And you have Jackson's flirting smile to look forward to when you return!
Ooh fun! Have a fun girl's weekend celebrating your sister. Tell her congrats - that is quite the accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteYour boy will be fine. He is in good hands. And I have a feeling your husband will be SUPER glad to see you in 56 hours! ;)
love, Michelle
Have a great time at graduation! What a blessing to be able to experience your sister's life up in IL. I went on a trip with a good girlfriend and it was her first trip away from her precious little boy! She missed him dearly, but that moment when she got back and first saw him was just about as sweet as it gets! Have fun... prayers for a safe flight and a blessed weekend!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great trip...and I believe I've already issued my pizza-eating instructions via email. Just take lots of notes so you can explain every delicious bite.
ReplyDeleteLaughed out loud at your coconut pie eating experience...I can throw down on some lemon pie, and woe be unto anyone who thinks I'm going to share. Because, you know, WHATEVER. :-)
Try to relax and enjoy it. My family is spread all over the globe so something I have learned to do is...Be ALL there with whomever I am physically with!You will be thankful later.
ReplyDeleteBabe's..aaahhh, now that place is a gift from God. I don't know which one you went to, but we just moved to Keller and it is so darn close, and so darn tempting...I want to choose Babe's too often! That would NOT be good for "swim-suit" season! Have fun with your sister and know that your sweet boy will have a blessed time with his daddy. There is nothing like the appreciation you get from your husband after he has spent a full 24 hours watching the child/ren alone!
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness, Curt is being baptized (into full-time daddyhood) this weekend!!! He will surely love it BUT he will beam with joy when he sees you return. There is nothin' in the world like "momhood". But on the serious side, you go girl and have a fantabulous time with Melissa. I know how proud you must be of her.
ReplyDeleteI have 2 boys (ages 9 and 7) and one little girl (age 5), and one on the way (but that's beside the point), and a husband who is a pediatrician--a PEDIATRICIAN--and I freak out uncontrollably at the thought of my hubby handling my kiddos alone. I am alone with them all the time with my hubby's crazy work schedule these days, but the thought of letting him take over? SUPER, DUPER SCARY. And that's just ridiculous because he can actually help the boys when (not IF) they get hurt playing outside on the rocks and in the trees!
ReplyDeleteI think it's just a Mommy-thing.
So pray your tail off before you go and while you're on the plane and enjoy your precious time with your sister and away from your day-to-day life. It'll be that much sweeter when you return to it.
It's definitely hard to leave those sweet babies for that first trip away. If it's any consolation, my friends and I have found the anxiety about the separation before the trip is worse than anything you experience on the trip. Once you leave and shed the tears, the fun and the food and the sleeping in keep you occupied.
ReplyDeleteAnd then you're home again, and your child and husband have never been so happy to see you.
Congratulations to Melissa. What an accomplishment! Wheaton is the best of the best in Christian education. I'm sure she is too.
ENJOY!
hey amanda! thanks for your comment :) i love that you mentioned babe's because we live like next door to it right now and we have NEVER eaten there...so every one in the world says we should definately go every time we mention where we live. i don't know why we haven't...oh well!
ReplyDeleteGirl,
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel!!
I leave today for a girls trip to the beach for a couple of days and it is the first time I have left my babies for more then two nights. I was a boohooing mess last night. I thought I would be so ready to go, but as it neared the time for me to put my babies to bed, the last time for a couple of days, I melted.
Have a wonderful time with your sista!
Charlotte
I know you did not just write about Babe's! My mouth is now watering...thankssomuch. Man, I miss that place. When my hubby was in seminary in FW, we would go a few times a year to celebrate with our friends. We usually waited for 2 hours, but it was sooooo worth it!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a fabulous trip. I will pray for your heart's condition. You will be OK, but you will miss your boy.
Have fun and get some rest. It is always nice to have a little time away to reconnect with who you are as a person. And enjoy a little sweet time with family and a little extra rest. I'm sure your mom and dad will be there so ya'll we have a great time together as a family.
ReplyDeleteHow great the rewards for hard work!
And you'll have some nice rewards when you get home after everyone has been missing you!
Have so much fun!
ReplyDeleteOh, I left my 15 month old for the first time this month. It was rough but oh! she was excited to see me when I got back! Have fun and enjoy SLEEPING LATE!
ReplyDeleteHave such a very good time being SISTER for a few days...may it bless your sandals off :)
ReplyDeletePraying for this fun time! What hard work Melissa has put in...may she find just the right place as she goes forward...
Love in Him,
Holly
That should be fun! Is Wheaton near downtown? Kevin and I just went to chicago a few months ago...it should be beautiful this time of year! I am sad that you guys came all the way to Babe's and we didn't get to say hello...that is our nec of the woods!! Close to the country...hehe...
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great trip and enjoy your time with your sis! Those times are precious...I am sure that Jackson will miss him Mommy LOTS...but just think about the excitment he will have when we sees you when you get back!
miss you.
cgs
What an accomplishment for sis! The world needs more girl exegeters. Seriously. It just does. And I don't think I am betraying my love for the SBC by saying so:)
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful trip...I know you will miss that sweet baby but I promise you, as if you are not a great mom already, you will be a phenomenal one when you get home. And he'll look like he has grown a foot. I've done this one a few times. :))
Have a great trip!
The worst part is leaving them...once you are there, you will be fine. Have a blast with Missy (oh, and tell her "congrats" from her BFF).
ReplyDeleteBabe's? Girl, you should have called us...we would have met you there in a second!
I kept thinking my boys would get cleaner as they grow up...hasn't happened yet...hang on, sista!
Oh what a FUN trip! It is difficult to leave your little man, but once you get with your sis there is such FREEDOM of just being YOU again...you will have such a blast and then your reunion with Mr. J will be, oh so sweet! ; )
ReplyDeleteJust stop. With all that talking about Babe's I might do something crazy if I don't get a piece of their fried chicken RIGHT NOW.
ReplyDeleteAmanda - you ate at Babe's without me!!!!!! I've only been trying to meet you there for 2 years!
ReplyDeleteThis weekend will be a great experience for you and Curtis!
Oh... I remember leaving Sara for the first time. It was harder on me than on her, she was FINE!! Just wait till you get home though, he will come running to jump in your arms, it is so sweet. Have fun and enjoy the time with her. Can't wait to hear all about it and see some pics! Praying for a safe and smooth trip.
ReplyDelete-Jackie
Hang in there, mama! My heart just ACHED the first time I left my little girls for a weekend. But you know, once I got over the initial leaving - albeit tears in my eyes and running down my cheeks - I had a GREAT weekend and it was just the rest and refreshment I needed. I came back appreciating mommyhood even more and the welcome home hugs and kisses made it all the more precious. Enjoy your time away. It will fly. And having flown with toddlers alone... you've made a GOOD CHOICE, friend! Yowza!
ReplyDeleteCONGRATS Melissa!
ReplyDeleteHave a blast with her Amanda and enjoy every minute of freedom.
I know how hard it is! I lfet JD for the first time (well, he'd spent the night at my mom's before) for a long weekend (Thurs thru late Sunday) and it was SOO hard. I cried at the airport with my mom. Jimmy did well that weekend but boy was I glad to get home and hold that sweet thing!
You're already gone, but I hope your first time away from him is refreshing! I left Caiden for seven days when he was about 20 months old, and it was fantastic. I missed him, but I was able to sleep late, eat my own food uninterrupted, and lounge around on the beach, poolside. It was definitely worth it.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I am in desperate need to do something of the sort again--he's almost 6, and I haven't been fully away from my children since then!
So enjoy it for me, while I live vicariously through you :)
Very nice blog! I hope you have fun on your trip. My son is almost a year, and I haven't left him overnight yet either. I had a great opportunity to go to a wedding in Mexico, but I just couldn't do it. Could not. But it will have to happen eventually, huh? I'm looking forward to hearing how you handled it!
ReplyDeleteWaiting to here how things went! :)
ReplyDeleteOoh! Chicago pizza! We were there on a stopover in November and had Giardono's (sp?) by the Sears Tower. The BEST pizza I have EVER had! Hope you enjoyed some for us!
ReplyDeleteWe missed you at church Saturday night! I hope you were able to spend some precious time with your sister!
ReplyDelete