Drained...But Happy to Be Home

 I'm writing this about 48 hours after I've returned home from a 10-day trip with Son to Hawaii and California. It was a fabulous trip and I blogged it everyday, so feel free to go back to Day 1 on my personal blog and read right through to the last glorious day of vacation. 

We had so very much fun--me more than him probably because he had to work for part of it, so his only real "vacation time" was when we were on Kona. But, bless his heart, he stuck with old Mom nearly every evening for fun and surprises. One night, not sure which one, he had dinner with colleagues, while I had supper with a woman I'd met at the hotel pool. She was charming and delightful to talk to, and I doubt I'll ever see her again in this lifetime, but it was a fun and different experience.

It was a memorable trip and I will probably be annoying y'all with details for the next several weeks, but today, I gotta tell you that the coming home on Wednesday morning after flying the red eye from San Francisco was fantastic. 

A glorious sunrise on the drive home welcomed us weary travelers back to the Midwest (Sorry about the fuzzy pic--the road was bumpy). When Son pulled into the driveway, Husband was waiting in the doorway with a big welcoming smile and a cup of coffee. Hugs and hugs later, we finally sat down to a warm breakfast, and I shared as much of the holiday with him that I could remember after being awake for over 24 hours. 

I'm becoming accustomed to traveling without Husband, who isn't a traveler, but that doesn't mean I don't miss him like crazy when I'm away. I do indeed, but I'll tell you what. Traveling with Son is a lot like traveling with Husband--he is his father in so many ways, which made the loneliness for Husband both easier and harder.

You know how in those first few minutes when you get home after being away for a while, everything feels strange, yet familiar? (Does that even make sense?) Anyway, Wednesday seemed almost surreal as I unpacked, napped, started laundry, chatted up Husband like crazy and hugged him...oh, how we hugged. I guess maybe I didn't realize how much he and I touch one another in a day because I really missed his touch while I was away. (Although Son was gracious to offer a hug whenever I asked for one, and even sometimes when I didn't, while we traveled because he's a nice kid and he loves me.)

About Hawaii--I'd go back--it's lovely. But I don't think I'd want to live there--it's expensive, there's only one season, and while I was there, I felt very cut off from the rest of the world. Foolish, because if I lived there, that would be my world, right? There's a lot of money on the islands and noticeably, a lot of poverty as well. Palm trees hide a lot, but we saw homeless folks everywhere and that was sobering. Even paradise isn't perfect.

I've been rambling...forgive me. I'm still suffering jet lag and yesterday I had to have the last half of my root canal done and they doped me up pretty good, so I'm still a little bleary from that. (Lovely thing to come home to, eh?) But all in all, in another couple of months I'll be ready for a new adventure, and until then, I'm going to bask in the joy that is home and Husband and the 'hood. 

Question before we close here: What is your ultimate travel destination? If you've already been to it, could you live there?

Stay well, my friends, be kind, spread happiness, and most of all, be grateful.