Wednesday was a pretty big day at the home. Not only did Charlie officially reach 15 months, but I left on my first overnight business trip since he was born. I've made a few one-day work trips around SC and NC, and I took one overnight pleasure trip to El Paso for Angie's wedding -- but this was the first time that I would have to spend the night away for work. It probably doesn't sound that significant, but I'm fairly sure that had this trip happened any sooner, I might have quit due to emotional trauma.
I dropped Charlie off at Donna's as usual Wednesday morning and decided not to stop in to say goodbye when I left around 2:00. It would have meant the world to me, but I was afraid it would just confuse Charlie and possibly set him up for a rough afternoon.
Four and half hours later I arrived in Greenville, NC and while I was driving around looking for a place to eat, I received a picture text of Charlie and Otis playing with his brown trout (not to be confused with a sea bass, I found out) and having a ball. Picture texts are such a blessing!
After dinner I went back to my hotel and prepared for an early night and late morning...I didn't have to leave for the meeting until 9:00, so I thought this would be my first chance in 15 months to sleep in! Well, I stayed up until 11:00 reading, then settled in without even setting the alarm...it was going to be great.
Hours later I woke up and saw a bit of light peeping around the heavy hotel curtains. Certain that it was at least 7:00, maybe even 7:30, I stretched, basked in the decadence and rolled over to look at my phone... it was 4:01! Seriously! The peeps of light were from a nearby business. It was 4:00 in the morning and I was wide awake. What a waste!
I dozed off and on until 6:45 then got up and went down to the exercise room to run on their treadmill. It was apparently stuck in metric, so it appeared that I was running 10 mph and did 7 1/2 miles in 45 minutes. I felt very fast and very fit!
Back up in the room, I called Jason and heard the sweetest story. Apparently Charlie was a bit confused when Daddy came in alone to wake him up and kept looking to the door for me. Then as soon as was changed, he raced into our room and tried to climb on the bed. Once Daddy helped him up, Charlie proceeded to root around in the covers looking for me. (Could anything make a mom feel better?)
Next they went downstairs for breakfast and it happened. After looking around the kitchen, Charlie looked at Daddy and said, "Mommy?" While he has said it before, it's usually as a joke, but this time he was looking for me. My little man missed me! Luckily, a bit of playtime in the yard cheered him right up before Daddy dropped him off at Donna's.
The meetings were fine and the drive home was long, but despite two construction zones, a downpour in Fayetteville and ridiculous number of New Jersey and Florida people that don't understand the purpose of the left lane...I made it home with 45 minutes to spare before bedtime. Words don't do justice to how grateful I am that this is the extent of my travel nowadays.
Fishin' in the hallway
Morning playtime
