The Mama Vacation

I have often talked about taking a mama vacation.  I've learned that for moms, a "family vacation" is really just a "trip", because though the kids and daddy are enjoying a significant variation from their regular daily routine, a mama is still a mama, busy doing mama things.  I love trips- don't get me wrong- but I've longed for a vacation- a real break from my own routine. 

And I nearly missed out on my first-ever mama vacation.  Less than 48 hours before I was to be on a plane headed to sunnier places, I came down with the stomach flu and was curled up on the floor of the bathroom at the throne of the toilet bowl.  Sadly, the flu bug spread, and when Devon dropped me off at the airport on Friday morning, with Lucy in the backseat barfing into a plastic bag, he promised me that he could handle everything.  He told me that I needed to get on my flight and try my best not to worry.  So, with a baggy of Saltine crackers and with tears in my eyes, I walked away from my ill little family...  AND HAD THE BEST WEEKEND EVER!

I arrived in San Diego to find warm sun and blue skies and I remembered oh yeah, people actually live like this!  I must have taken half a dozen pictures of the cloudless sky, as if it was an endangered species.  And each time that we sat down to eat at a restaurant, I remembered oh yeah, I don't have to order food for the kids that they probably wouldn't eat anyway.  And as we window shopped in downtown La Jolla or at the Fashion Valley mall, I remembered oh yeah, I don't have a stroller to maneuver through the doorways or aisles and I don't have to be mindful of when the next exhaustion induced toddler meltdown should occur.

I like vacation. :)

Just as I'd hoped, Allison, Andrea and I- "The A Team" as we like to call ourselves- picked up right where we left off as if no time has passed since we were roommates in Santa Barbara ten years ago, except that now we have stretch marks and wedding rings.  We spent our time together doing just what I'd expected- talking, shopping, walking, eating, drinking, laughing, and when we absolutely had to, we'd sleep. 

Even though we stayed busy as tourists, this trip was very relaxing and low-key.  One of my favorite parts of the trip was a walk to the beach by our hotel in La Jolla.  I loved walking in the sand and listening to the water and just savoring my time with these girls.  I hope it isn't another three and a half years before we are all together again!

It was really tough to say goodbye to such a fabulous weekend, but it was, of course, nice to be reunited with Devon and the kids.  True to his word, Devon took care of all the sickies and was an A+ daddy. 

Thanks Dev! 

And thanks A & A!