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Perfect Moment Monday: Travelove

Due to her amazing transformation (♥ ♥ ♥) my posting lately has been kinda Tessa-heavy. So I was hoping to be able to feature my sweet Reed (♥ ♥ ♥) in a perfect moment, and I wasn’t let down.

Back in the day (before kids), Roger and I were world travelers. We relished the time on the plane to escape from our busy lives– and get lost in a good book.

But once you have babies and/or little kids, travel prep and flight times become very stressful times. First, there’s packing for others — and I’m not even very fond of packing for myself. Then there’s hauling all the stuff to, through and from  airports. Once we each had an extra appendage, we knew that our relatively low-stress traveling days were a thing of the past. And, in theory, a thing of the future.

Funny thing. If you keep feeding them, kids keep growing. My children have recently become capable and somewhat self-contained travelers. They pack for themselves (OK, Reed forgot to pack socks and we had to return home after a false start to retrieve Tessa’s retainer), they schlep all their own stuff, and, for the first time, they can entertain themselves on a 4-hour flight.

Did you read that? THEY ENTERTAINED THEMSELVES ON A 4-HOUR FLIGHT.

I KNOW!!

Due to the ridiculosity of “bereavement fares” (evidently an urban myth — $1100 marked down from $1800 on Untied — and no that’s not a typo) we went with discount airlines once we received news that Roger’s mom had entered the active dying process. Roger left immediately to be with her. The kids and I followed two days later, the difference in price [x3] making it possible at all. So I was traveling with 2 kiddos by myself.

Tessa played with her brother, then read and slept a bit. While she did, I noticed my delightfully intense son, who had created a Lego universe on his table tray.

It made me smile amid the stress and sadness.

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22 Responses

  1. What a wonderful distraction Legos can be! What is it with little boys and Legos, though? They are completely enthralling to boys – girls are interested, but boys … Now that you’ve been able to find out that your kids can be good travellers, maybe you can take up world travelling again.

  2. Sorry to hear about your loss and even amidst all this stress and sadness you found a PM. Kids are a godsend and in my opinion really make us better adults. Prayers going out to you all to get through this tough time.

  3. Oh I’m so sorry that your MIL is so ill, that that was the reason you had to fly. But wow Reed, what a wonderful thing to see, your ability to just play, be good in the moment. Your momma must have taught you that! xo

    holding you in my heart Lori.xo

  4. I agree with Jeni! I love this too. Go Reed! I sometimes don’t know who enjoys playing with Legos more, my son or me. It is so cool to watch our children create and make something awesome with all those little pieces.

    That is crazy about those bereavement fares. Seriously! That is wrong on so many levels…

    I am glad that you were able to see this Perfect Moment in the midst your grief. Finding those ways to reflect on and be able to experience times of joy as you process this incredible loss in your life will hopefully help you to heal.

    Continuing to hold you all close in my thoughts and prayers today and everyday. (((HUGS)))

  5. You have ARRIVED!

    My perfect moment came yesterday during a decidedly lame Easter. After our Easter hunt, we stayed in all day because my husband and I were sick. The kids entertained themselves all day and didn’t complain even once. As we sat at the fancy dinner table still in our PJs, I couldn’t help but be grateful for their happy dispositions. It makes the crummy days a lot less crummy!

  6. So glad you could be present to notice those precious moments in the midst of this difficult time. Please know my heart is with you.
    Namaste

  7. Sending love during this sad time. Please tell Robger that I am so sorry for him to be losing his Mommy.
    It is very freeing and all at once scary to raise self sufficient children. I realize daily that my lessons are to prepare them to leave me, *Sigh*
    Love is letting go, for your MIL’s ultimate destination too.
    Peace and love always and in all ways.

  8. I love it when they surprise us by being so good and sweet when we are expecting otherwise. What a sweetie! Thanks for the smile!

    Pam

  9. I’m very sorry about the reason of your travels….although it is nice to see when your children are doing more and more in the area of independence. Safe travels…hugs to the family

  10. What a great moment that they can pack for themselves and entertain themselves! I’m so sorry for the reason for the travels.

    Your family will continue to be in my thoughts.

    How perfect that among the sadness, you could find something to enjoy.

  11. So sorry to hear about what you all are going through right now. Bereavement fares are a joke, and make traveling at such a difficult time even more painful. But, glad to hear that your kids made it a little easier. Here’s to small mercies!

  12. I know they’re a lot, but do everything in your power to suck the marrow from every single second of everything they give you. You will live a lifetime on the sweetness of all they did to , for and with you.

  13. I am so sorry to hear about Roger’s mom. I can see that you are continuing to take stock of the many blessings amidst a tragedy. I so admire that about you.

    (((Hugs)))

  14. Forgetting socks? I do that all the time, Reed. You know you’ve really made it when you forget to pack pants. And yes, people, I mean ANY pants. I traveled up in pyjama bottoms and that’s all I had with me for the rest of the trip.

  15. We travelled a lot (mostly to & from our grandparents’ house, by car, but still, it was usually anywhere from 2 to 8 hours, depending where we lived), so my sister & I learned very early on to entertain ourselves (and we certainly didn’t have built-in DVD players & video games, etc., like kids today have). And we both packed our own suitcases from the time we were about 8 or 10. I don’t think we ever forgot anything really important either. Maybe a toothbrush once in awhile. At any rate, it’s an excuse to go shoppping. ; ) Glad your kids had a good trip, even if it was for sad reasons. I guess bereavement fares are better than paying full fare, but they’re still pretty ridiculous. I remember paying about $900 both times I went home for my grandparents’ funerals, 10+ years ago. Grandpa’s was just after we lost Katie ( = funeral expenses), & we’d also had to have a new furnace installed. Ouch!!

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