Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?

Today is my last day in DC. This is an amazing city and I’ve covered a lot of ground in the past six days. I can’t wait to get back and share my adventure with my kids. 🙂

Yesterday, I got an angry call from J. “I’m not doing this again…just letting you know,” were the first words out of his mouth. Not, “I’m so glad you’re coming home soon because things have been really stressful,” or “Hurry and get home; we miss you!” He almost made it the entire six days without making me feel guilty for coming here. Almost.

I started planning this trip in October, when my boss told me I would be coming. I kept telling J, “Now, you know that I’m going to be gone for a week. Are you sure it’s okay for me to go?” All I got in return was, “Yeah, yeah. We’ll be fine.” I didn’t even book my tickets until the middle of December because I was still contemplating whether or not I would go. I knew that there was a fairly large chance that J would make me feel guilty about coming either while I was here or once I got home.

I tried to lay out everything for the week. I made sure the house was clean, laundry was washed, and that the kids had their Valentines and that J knew that our 5yo son had his “Friendship Party” on Monday. J changed his schedule at work so that he would only work Friday (the day I left) and today (the day I am flying home). Other than that, he had to go to class (just one) twice a week. I think the kids have been at daycare or school for the other days. So really, he had to work twice and go to class twice. Manageable, right?

Apparently not. Apparently my responding to his comments above with, “Well, I’m not really in the mood to be lectured about this right now, so I will call you later,” warranted being called a bitch and being hung up on. (Sigh) I don’t know why I thought he could be mature about this. I thought maybe he could sacrifice a week for this opportunity for me. And let’s not forget that I was a single-parent for 12 MONTHS when he was getting outprocessed from the military and lived 5 hours away. Oh, and during that time I worked full-time, shuffled the kids to and from school/daycare, and extra-curricular activities. But will I mention that? Probably not.

Our schedule these days is crazy. I acknowledge that. And it doesn’t help that we live about 20 miles away from the majority of our activities…so there is a lot of running back and forth.

Monday – Kids to daycare/school in the morning; class from 8:30-10:30; pick up 5yo at preschool; pick up Miss Tween after school; Take Miss Tween to gymnastics; pick up 2yo at daycare; pick up Miss Tween from gymnastics; get a workout in at the gym sometime in there.

Lather, rinse, and repeat for the rest of the week.

I understand that he’s frustrated. But really? Calling me and saying right off the bat, “I’m not doing this again.” Giving me that kind of ultimatum? Basically saying that if another awesome career opportunity comes at me which involves traveling I won’t be “allowed” to go?? What a way to welcome me back home.

So yes, ladies and gentleman. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. Fonder of being separated from my husband for a week at a time. If I didn’t miss the kids so damn much maybe I would intentionally miss my flight…