England or bust

I'm preparing to leave my family for 10 days.  Ironing everything, making a few freezer meals, cleaning like crazy for some reason.  I'd feel bad leaving a dirty house to Nathan, but it gets dirty so fast.  Our clean house can get so sticky and dusty and hairy in just a day.
Nathan won't be able to mow the lawn for 10 days.  I may need to cut his hair before I leave, because it could get pretty big in 10 days.  Ooo, and I should clip all the girls' finger and toe nails.  They grow so fast.    I'm being bombarded with these remembrances.  It's going to be good for me to lay aside these little details for 10 days and stretch my brain muscles to worry about other things like making it to the right gate in time for my flight and following a map in Bath or getting on the right train, going the right direction to the next quaint village.  Or what kind of English tea shall I sip this leisurely afternoon.
Whoa, I just realized, he's going to have to start showering in the evenings or nap times, like me.  No more leisurely morning showers for him (j/k about the leisurely part.  I bark at him if he's taking too long.  J/k again.  I NEVER bark at Nathan...j/k).

So lately I've been watching Lola's chubby limbs waddle around the backyard.  I've been so pleased to observe Claire telling a story with big, sincere eyes about how it really did make the sun come out when she sang a special song to the sun that goes, "Shine bright.  Shine bright...." I wish I could remember all of it.  So anytime I'm a little chilly, I just need to ask Claire to sing her song.
I'm just soaking up Kate's kisses.  It's a matter of business with her.  "Mom, I'm going to give you a kiss."  And she does.  And she's so reassuring.  "Daddy, you asked the wrong question.  But it's okay.  I still love you."  Big hug and kiss.  I think I'll actually miss Riley's drama, because it usually ends in a good talk.  Let us not even speak of how I will miss Nathan.  Aside from the obvious things like his kisses and hugs, I may even miss the way he eats his banana, in my ear.  It sounds like his head is hollow, it's so loud.  But that's my Nathan. :)

Pray for all of us next week if you think of us, but mostly for my husband's brave soul.