We are back!

We had a good trip to Iowa, and now we are back. Reality is setting in, as it always does. I am always caught in the "in between" for a few days after a trip like this. I miss everyone so much. I don't really want to be back here in the land of mostly acquaintances.

• I want to be with people who know me and love me anyway.
• I want to belly laugh with my sister over lunch more than twice a year.
• I want to have long conversations with my mother about the world we live in, the politicians who are messing it up and what we can do about it.
• I want to see the kids giggle with Grandpa J.
• I want to talk to my future sister in law (B and B got engaged on the 4th of July!!) and help her plan her wedding. I want watch DadOf3 tease his little brother about getting hitched!
• I want to play make-believe with my little nephew who has the best imagination in the world!
• I want to talk to my brilliant little niece, O, who at almost 9 years old has a lot to say. I want to hear it.
• I want to play with my niece, E, and get to know her better so I am not a stranger to her.
• I want to play cards with my mother and father in law while trash talking and laughing.
• I want to talk with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law about the world we live in.
• I want to go to the shed and watch the kids drive the old jeep, ride the 4-wheeler and smile so big that it seems it will stay forever.
• I want to go to Adventureland and feed the kids cotten candy and watch them go into a sugar frenzy.
• In short, I want to go home.

This feeling numbs over time. The tears do not come as easily.

We have a life here, and it is a good life. I think it is human nature to want what we do not have, and truly, if we lived in Iowa, it would not always be like the week and a half we have just spent there.

Soon it will be time to get the kids ready to go back to school (shudder). Life will get get busy again. There will be sports to practice and play, spelling tests to study for, reading and writing to practice. I will need to decide if I am going to be a room parent again.

I have learned from past mistakes that it is better to keep myself busy. Having too much time on my hands encourages me to think too much and focus too much on myself and what I am missing. But then again we have a big change coming to our family soon (more on that later) and I do not want to overbook myself.

All of these things will work themselves out in time.

Today we need to get the house back in order, the laundry done, and groceries bought. The boys are being pretty good and Princess is still sleeping at 9:15! That usually means she will wake up happy. That helps on a busy day like today.

Hi ho, hi ho, it's back to life we go.....

Last hotel of the holiday!

We are getting up slowly but surely this morning. The Prince had a bit of an upset tummy last night so he ended up sleeping with me. DadOf3 slept with Princess, and the Knight had his "special bed" (aka pack and play). The wake up call came at 6:00AM which was much too early, but if we get out of here by 8:00, we should be home by 6:00PM. The kids are all anxious to see Miney and Moe. Our nice neighbors have been watching them and sending reports so we know they are doing well, but I sure do miss petting them!

Here's to the last leg of our trip! (Toasting with coffee - yum!)

Tomorrow is going to be a big, big day! The Prince will have his very first day at pre-school, and Princess goes back to school. It is nice that her school gives her as big of a break as it does. We had a few days at home, lots of days in Iowa, and we get home in time for school to start again.

More later!