Taking flight (again)

This has been a whirlwind week. Just as I was unpacking from the trip to Miami, I was repacking for a trip to San Diego, with a short daytrip to Williamsburg and back thrown in for extra points. Long about Tuesday, I was sarting to panic. All the details of lesson plans and carpools and meals in the freezer buzzed in my ears and fueled the doubt that leaving again was even a little bit of a good idea.

The San Diego trip was planned long before all the others. The man who is my husband’s best friend, the best man in our wedding, and Nicholas’ godfather got married for the first time last year. There wasn’t a lot of fanfare and we didn’t really get to celebrate at all. Indeed, within days of his wedding, Brian and his new bride flew east for Mike’s dad’s funeral.  Life marched on. But Brian’s wife Katy promised that there would, indeed, be a party to celebrate their marriage.

In April, we all were super excited to learn that Brian had been selected to be promoted to the rank of admiral. Slowly, the party began to take shape. There’d be a wedding celebration and a wetting down party. The last weekend in September was inked on the calendar. April didn’t know that Mike would be gone all summer. April didn’t know that we’d be traveling so much in early September. April didn't know that I'd fight hard against that old nemesis depression all summer. April didn’t know that Stephen would injure his Achilles. April didn’t know that the Nutcracker would be three weeks earlier this year and so the costume and rehearsal schedule would be daunting at the end of September. April did know—and has long known-- that birthday week begins at the end of September and we would land at home on the first of four birthdays in six days.

That just meant I had to plan for birthdays before taking off. While planning for everything else.

So on that Tuesday, when Bobby texted, “I think we’ll come visit from Thursday to Tuesday. What are you guys doing?”  I responded “Perfect. Sort of. Call me.”

He did, right away, and I explained that Mike and I would be gone, but if he and Sloane and Grey wanted to come visit, well, that would about like having a fairy godmother drop in my lap.

It’s not the first time I’ve unexpectedly left six kids with Bobby. When he was 18, I went off for a routine prenatal appointment and left him in charge. Ten hours later, he loaded six kids into our giant fullsize van and drove them to the hospital to visit baby Katie after an emergency c-section.  That was exactly 12 years ago.

Now, he’s a dad, with a wonderful wife, and a baby I got to welcome into the world four months ago.  They’re going to be just fine at home. And yes, by golly, there are lots of lesson plans, a full tank of gas, and meals in the freezer.

I can’t really believe that I sat down to sew yesterday morning, but before I left, I did want to finally finish that baby sling I’d promised Sloane at the beginning of the summer. I used some Amy Butler fabric and then fussy cut from another Amy Butler print to put a bright applique on the tail. I used the pattern in Growing Up Sew Liberated. I’m thrilled with the result. I have a major crush on this sling.

I haven’t really read much this week. I finished up last week’s books and did some kid lit reading to stay as current as possible with “school” assignments. Oh, and I read Run Like a Mother on the plane. I have fully loaded the book basket with St. Francis goodies in anticipation of next week's feast. I have loaded the audio version of North and South onto my phone. I’m looking forward to a nice long listening investment as the leaves turn colors.

What about you? Reading? Sewing? It’s really time to make a list of Christmas gift sewing, isn’t it? I’m thinking about those corn-filled flannel cozies for teachers. They’re a little heavy and I’m not quite sure how we’d package them, but I think they might be just right. We use one almost every day. Do you think they’d be well-received?

Let me know what you’re up to—reading, sewing, traveling? If you’d like, you could tell me how you left your kids and went away even though every bone in your body was telling you to stay home and how you were really glad you did it.

I’ll be back soon with pictures of Coronado.