This Much I Know

After 1,927 days of being a momma, I took my first vacay without kids this weekend.  Sure, I've had time without them (like when my parents kept them for 2 days so we could move) but this was my first real, actual, true vacation.  And it. was. awesome.  Here are a few things I learned about myself and my life in my 96ish hours away:

#1.  I have got to do that more often.

#2. If I lived somewhere sunny, I would never (I mean EVER) do anything.  Seriously.  How can you be expected to work in these conditions?

#3.  Real friends fix your hair when the stylist makes you look like George Washington.  (Thankfully, there is no photo of this mishap available.)

 #4.  My friends are hilarious.  And we aren't afraid to bring a little crazy to a party.  Yes, Alayna dropped a pretty penny on a fluorescent mesh tank top and bedazzled shorts.  And yes, she wore it out at night.  And yes, the manager of the bar sent over a fishbowl full of alcohol for her efforts.  I'll give you a minute to compose yourself.

 #5.  I hope when I travel with my family that I am more like the dad in front of me on the plane who was traveling by himself with three young, well-behaved kids (who he spoke kindly too) than the family across from me.  At first, it was funny when the kid screamed everything because he was wearing head phones, but halfway over the good ol' US of A, I was kind of over it.  And the way his mom snapped at him every time he said something and his dad couldn't be bothered to take off his own headphones to answer a question every once in awhile.  I know that traveling with kids is hard, believe me, but when I finally get the chance to travel without them, a bickering family is about the last thing I'm interested in.

#6.  My friends are THE BEST.  We have known each other for almost 14 years and I truly couldn't ask for anything better.  We don't talk daily and we sometimes go way too long without seeing each other but when we are together there is nothing better.  We get each other's jokes, we laugh til we cry (or in my case, snort), we love each other's kids and husbands and parents.  We've been together for A LOT of weddings and we have special memories of each one.  From Kristal's and my weddings a decade ago to Kristin's last weekend, everything is right with the world when we are all belting out the lyrics to Jagged Edge.

Kristin, you were beautiful and girls, I love you more than you could know.  Thank you all for an unforgettable weekend.