Mini-Van Mega-Fun!: Cruisin'

I'll see you again in 15 years, I told him.

It may just be that long, or longer before we are able to spend 8 days alone again.
Back in March while Dan worked out of state, we planned a trip to celebrate our 15 year anniversary.

It kind of felt like one of those once in a lifetime vacations, and if that's true, we are even more grateful for it.

I'll be honest. Going into the trip I questioned 3 things:

Was the trip too long?

Would I miss the kids too much?

Would we remember how to be "just the two of us"?

The first day in we were quite tired from all the traveling so eating and sleeping took precedence. No time to worry about my 3 main concerns, we turned off the alarm and slept for what felt like a week.

Fully refreshed, the next couple days went lazily by. The surreal life is an accurate description to what we experienced on that cruise. No alarms. No kids. No work. No schedule. No cooking. No cleaning. No crying. No employees. No pressure. No stress.

I warned Dan for a few weeks prior that I had stored up many a conversation for the cruise. One thing that we don't have the luxury of at home is finding a great amount of time to just sit and talk about things. Things meaning more than our usual conversations about time he will be home from work and what kid needs what, where and how.

The cool thing about being away for 8 days is that you have all the time in the world to talk about the future, our family, our dreams, our struggles, our church, work, anything and everything. The cool thing is that on the cruise there were no distractions except if you count the waiter bringing me a bahama mama.

Question 1 answered. 8 days was not too long. It probably took me that long to get all my words out.
Poor Dan.

Question 2. Would I miss the kids too much? We have been on trips before a few times in the first 15 and it seemed like those vacations found me homesick at some point. I have to admit... not this time. I love my children dearly, no surprise there, but being away from them was refreshing! Big surprise there! I knew they were having a wonderful time with Grandmas and Grandpas so I cruised that week free as a bird! No diapers to buy, no minivan to drive, no fights to break up.

Question 3. Would we remember how to be "just the two of us?"
Well, this one was a bit more interesting. Since the year 2000 we've been Mom and Dad...not as much Dan and Chelle. I worried that we might stare at each other blankly and think... "who are you?"

Did I ever mention that I probably worry too much?

With dinners and shows and beaches, and pools, people watching and shopping, Oh, and how can I forget- Dan's slight Bingo obsession...
We had more than enough to do remind us that we are capable of fun outside of our parental roles.

I miss that cruise. These days, it feels like it was just a dream. In some ways it kind of was.

I'll see you again in 15 years, Dan.

Until then, thank you for a lovely, precious time. We will always have that moment on the top deck. Remember? When we cruised out of the port into the sunset and I fell asleep on your shoulder? You may have thought it was the Benydryl I took for my heat rash that made me so drowsy, but really-- it was one of the most contented, peaceful moments of my life and I could just rest next to my love.

a few pix of the trip...