Back to Reality!

Returning home from a vacation is kind of a mixed emotion thing for me. I was so happy to get home and see my boys whom I missed fiercely, but I was not ready to get back to reality just yet. Like the piles of mail and newspapers and all the messages left on the answer machine that need responding to. Not to mention the barrage of emails that seem to reproduce like rabbits. The unpacking and laundry are the least of the hassles of returning. There are all the things that I really wanted to get done before I left, but just ran out of time, like registering my son for baseball (now I get to pay a late fee!), doing my part for a bridal shower I am helping with tomorrow, finding the perfect shoes for the half marathon (major panic), mother's day gifts, and on and on AND on, that still need to be done and asap. Today I had to write up an application for my youngest who was nominated for the Hope of America award while we were gone that was due today. That took a couple of hours I wasn't planning on. I also had to go to the dentist because I broke a tooth while in Hawaii. And I am feeling very stressed because I didn't keep up with my running training plan while gone and the half marathon is in 10 days!!! I am still so sleep deprived that my body doesn't even want to attempt even a short run yet. We went for 40 + hours without sleeping (with the exception of a few hours on the plane - IF you call that sleeping!) Zzzzz....... I really want to go to bed early tonight. Crossing my fingers! I am STILL trying to get my photos downloaded! I REALLY am going to do that soon! Hopefully that will happen BEFORE my next vacation! I am shooting for tomorrow...we'll see. I think I am overwhelmed because I took SO many!

All the stuff that my normal "REALITY" is made up of is back in full swing. It was so nice to not even have to think or worry about any of this for over an entire week. I began to believe it would be a nice lifestyle. But then I decided that I would not feel any purpose in my life if all I had to do was sight-see and relax on the beach. I am grateful to be home even though it will take me a while to get caught up.

It is a lot different returning home when you don't take your children with you. Usually when we all go on a vacation, I leave the house spotless because I hate coming home to a messy house...and yes, the fact that I don't want to have people sorting through my stuff in a messy house if something happened to us while gone motivates me as well. My boys always tell me (as I am making them clean) I won't care if I am dead, but I have a feeling I still will! But when you return home after leaving your children home for nine days, things are a bit different. My boys did a great job keeping things up and they did all that I asked them to do. The house was actually pretty clean when we got back. But there are still all the little things that I just normally do that they don't even notice. Like wiping out the microwave when it gets splattered inside, dusting before a readable message is able to be written in it, keeping the hand prints wiped off the walls, windows, and pretty much everything else, picking up little things off the floor, straightening pictures on the wall, cleaning out the fridge...etc, etc. But all those things are a small price to pay for a stress free vacation. I do have to say my oldest really kept things under control while we were gone. The house didn't even burn down! And as far as I know, there were no big parties either! He made sure the boys did their chores and practiced piano before they did anything else. In fact he got my 17 year old to deep clean his room! Now that is really saying something! I have been trying to get him to do that forever! For some reason they do that for him much better than for me. Hmm... maybe I should go more often. But he really deep cleaned it. I just found out he threw away some things that had real sentimental value. Like special award certificates, trophies, photos, etc. Guess I can't complain though if it got clean right? I can cry though! But overall I was really impressed with how well they did without me. At least I know they missed me! And that is really all that matters to me. Yes, I am baaaaaaaaack....to reality! And I am grateful for that reality...even though it's insane at times. At least my reality still has great memories of a great vacation, like these:

Top 10 (okay more than 10) reasons why

☺The sounds and sights of the ocean ~ I can NOT get enough of it! I was born to live by the ocean!

☺Wearing sweet smelling flowers in your hair - everyday!

☺Palm trees~ I really love palm trees.

☺Kua Aina ~ THEE best burgers and fries in the world! Serious...

☺The Polynesian people ~ They have an AMAZING spirit about them.

☺Playing in the waves ~ I've found a new love...BOOGIE BOARDING! Hang loose baby!

☺I don't have to cook or clean ONCE while there!

☺The Hawaiian language ~ it just sounds beautiful. Mahalo ~ Aloha

☺Walking on the seashore barefoot in the sand.

☺The beautiful foliage and sweet permeating scents everywhere.

☺Renewing adult relationships without the distraction of children.

☺The Hawaiian culture ~ they are so laid back and stress free.

☺Swinging in a hammock with a soft, sweet smelling breeze in the air while soaking up the sun sipping a Pina Colada listening to the sounds of the waves crashing in the background. Does it really get ANY better than that?