i've been keeping a secret...

This morning we're taking off on another road trip. To retrieve our children. They've been at their grandparents' house...4 states away.... FOR TEN DAYS. And boy do we miss 'em. John and I have been alone for TEN DAYS! We've never left our kids for this long, and for the first couple of days I wasn't sure whether to celebrate or cry...so I did a little of both. Here are some other things I did:

Being a true homebody, I stuck close to home. I think I ventured out 4-5 times. Mostly for trivial things like a hair appointment, groceries, film developing, etc. My life is riveting, let me tell you!

I did, however, watch several movies. Some I even watched in the middle of the day (gasp)! I can't begin to tell you how long it's been since I've done something that daring. I rented Catch and Release (hated it) and The Queen (hated it even more) and John and I saw Ocean's 13 (liked it) and Waitress (loved it!) and I went alone one morning to see Evening. Pure indulgence!

Did very little cooking. And it was nice. If you were a fly on the wall, you would have likely heard, "How about some chips and guac for dinner, honey?" And on the nights we spent at home, we ate dinner whatever we scrounged up on the couch while watching television. Haven't done that in probably 10 years! Again, it was nice. And you know, that Raymond guy and his mother are hilarious!

Slept alone in our bed all night long without a preschooler joining us in the wee hours and plastering herself all up against me. I could definitely get used to that!

Saved oodles of money by not running the dishwasher everyday (think we ran it twice, and only because all of our coffee mugs were dirty), by not doing 3 loads of laundry every day (think I did 3 all week), and by not cooking three meals a day (J was lucky if I cooked ONE!).

Was finally Queen of the TV Remote. I'm not a big tv girl. Okay, who am I kidding. I love tv, but this week I got to enjoy Good Morning America and one episode of Oprah and the evening news without anyone begging to turn the channel to Arthur or Dragon Tales.

Went on a couple of dates with my husband, and even a weekend getaway without having to spend any money on a babysitter!

Sat outside in the sun almost every day and read a book without anyone coming to the back door and needing me to come inside "right this very minute!"

Scrapbooked...a lot. In fact, I completed an album--start to finish--of Abbey's preschool years. She's gonna be so pleased!

Went on several hikes with John, and never heard anyone ask, "How much further?" or tell me that they couldn't.possibly.take. another.step. I admit, I enjoyed this way too much!

Marveled out how clean my house stayed. If there was a mess to be found, it was because I made it.

And missed my kids LIKE CRAZY! Had to call them every day just to hear their sweet voices and their I love you's, and tell them how much they were missed. I CAN'T WAIT to see them later today, and call me crazy, but I'm actually looking forward to all five of us being cooped up in Minnie-the-van for the very, very long drive back home!

The first day we were without them, I was pretty lost. And sad. John was great though to help me see the time without them as a gift. It was a gift to our kids to spend time with grandparents and cousins and aunts and uncles that they don't get to see on a regular basis. It was a gift to our parents to get to spend time with our kids, and it was a gift to us to have some time to spend with each other. I like gifts, don't you?