Packed and ready

We're leaving tomorrow for vacation.

A two week plus vacation. This is the longest we will be away as a family, ever.

It's funny because as a family I couldn't be happier to take this vacation now. The boys' last day of kindergarten is tomorrow. We will attend their celebration concert, eat a cookie and have some apple juice. Then we will all run out of the building, screaming and tearing their school uniforms off as we replace them with Hawaiian shirts. We'll jump in the packed van - complete with bikes hanging off the back - head to the highway and get to our beach house in a different part of the country. A part of the country where everyone calls you "baby" - even in your late 30's. A part of the country where they know how to properly use "y'all".

Plus the kids are ready themselves. The boys have been packed for four days. Our daughter started to sob tonight when - standing in her pajamas, beach hat and sandals - I informed her it was bedtime and we couldn't leave until the morning. You would've thought I'd ripped her heart out. She's ready to go NOW! She is currently sound asleep with her sandals on her feet and beach hat mashed on her face.

But for my new job this couldn't come at the worst time. Everyone at the office is being so incredibly supportive about it. I told them during the interview that we had put down money on this house and they were fine with it. But 7 weeks into this job I've got projects I'm excited about, crises that I want to pay attention to and new relationships I want to keep developing. It will be hard not to check my work email or call in for updates. But I need to honor this time with my family.

Then there is this little side project of mine. The one that you all are a part of (yes, even you lurkers who don't comment). By the end of each day I literally have 2-3 posts running around in my head. I see things that I want to photograph and share with everyone. But I'm also feeling less umph to find new sites to read. Don't get me wrong, I like new people, really, and will visit you if you let me know you came by (hint, hint). I like the crowd I'm hanging with and don't feel compelled to make it bigger on my own.

So imagine my surprise when I got an international phone call yesterday from someone who was worried that I missed my 5:30am blog visit. She noted I hadn't been on any blogs for, oh, about 12 hours! That is a sign telling me I need to lay low for a while. But it was nice to hear her voice. It's quite lovely. You should really hear it someday.

I'll post a photo or two. Maybe share a vignette. But don't be alarmed if you don't hear much from me over the next two plus weeks. I'm enjoying the beach with my family.

###

And thanks to the person(s) who voted for my post in this month's Blog Exchange. I'm glad others agree that my dad really is awesome.