Mommyhood and Travel

Generally I love traveling. Now after having moved so many times in life and doing big distances of travel as well as small distances... I think I am slowing changing my mind. Hmm Are we even allowed to change that feeling? Oh by golly I think I can. But wait does that mean my heart is changing.. NO WAY. I still love learning about new cultures, trying new foods, learning new languages, and showing my kids the world. This is just a temporary feeling. All comes down to the stress on my head and heart at this moment in time.. just this one particular incident..
This is not such much of a burden as much as it is such a headache to anticipate and mentally plan and then have plans changed and unchanged etc etc. Dads in my opinion sometimes have it too easy, they say we are going and boom the mom has to be ready and get it all packed and out the door by the time dad has the car heated up.
Yes a few days of forewarning is gracious.. but what happens when you are just sort of told about it.. Nothing set in stone.. But told (in that you need to start packing right now tone because when dad says its time.. that means that night or the next morning...) basically oh um next week we are going to this city for 10 days. Heart beats become erratic and the following thoughts occur... and not always in this order but this is what happened to me this past week...
1.. woohoo travel, 2.. woohoo change of scenery.. the apartment is getting boring... 3.. wait rewind what.. ten days with 3 adults and 2 kids... 4.. what will we be doing 5.. what clothes for the possible activities.. are we swimming, outdoor shopping, fancy dinner, roadside dinner, visiting relatives...... 6.. OMG how do I prepare just enough for each person so all activities can be covered... nice clothes with shoes to match, walking clothes with shoes etc etc etc (insert hubs comment "Honey, lets get it all into 1 suitcase this time...) (IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?????) 7... the panic attack in the head starts the throbbing is coming.... do I take my own dishes, should I empty the cupboards to save money on eating out..you know.. like last of the pasta, rice, coffee, the dry goods that are only needed for a few meals.. 8.. what do I pack to entertain the kids with during the down time.. yes with this amount of time there will inevitably always be down time.. and no TV to zone out with and no movies to carry with hmmm this is a category on its own 9. back around to the clothes.. accidents occur so have to have back ups, no laundry facilities to just run to OH NO wait bad news, all the laundry is dirty and with just a few days left and the weather is cold.. will they all dry outside on the line in time to pack YIKES thud thud thud.. blood is now rushing to the head
10.... from the spouse "Honey, I don't really wanna go.. let's get mom to go on her own." "Mom wants to go for 10 days.. let's just do 3 maybe 4".... note from Mominlaw "Pack for 10days, he will change his mind when he gets there..." Hubby "I heard that, and no I won't!!!!"

Is it ok to fall to the floor right this minute... let's just say I was superbly mentally exhausted by the time Sunday rolled around to where all I wanted to do was crawl in a ball and sleep... but life still goes on and we still have to stay on top of the house, the food, the teaching and all that is involved in the normal this is not vacation day to day of life...

So this story continues yes he did not want to go, this trip was brought on by Mom having her vacation and wanting to get out of dodge...and we all agreed it was time for her to take a vacation (in a good daughter in law sort of you need a break from US feeling) for one person that's fine.. but for the whole family on a tight budget as it is.. it no longer becomes a vacation for me and more of an upheaval of routine. This whole adventure has already been an upheaval of monumental proportions.. the whole move to another country adventure..
I hate routine, but after this long drawn out process of will it happen or will it not (because the idea of yes, no ,yes ,no, today- tomorrow departure went on for 3 days..) I was very relieved when the God saw my dispair and relieved my pains. Watched the weather and boom RAINY DREARY freezing temps in the to be traveled to city... who wants to travel in such muck weather occurred. Yes mom agree that was not good weather to take the kids in, too much stress at this point in the season, this sort of travel is better for summer or spring.
Woohoo victory for my brain.
Summary... eventually we talked Mom-in law into going on her own via train to visit family and whatever she wants to do. And oddly enough the morning she departed I was able to catch my breath again, and just relax. I get a mini vacation within my own home.. yes weird thought.. but with her gone we can eat WHEN we want and WHAT we want. (the kids want all American favorites, burgers, fried chicken, pizza.. the works hahaha) The kids have free range of the whole house on the condition they clean up after themselves with each adventure.
And Yes I am mentally on vacation while she is away.
Side note.. this does not mean I am not up for travel, or for adventures, just not this week.. not feeling it sort of feeling. (And the weather here is amazing, blue skies, blue water... get out and explore in our neck of the woods weather) I am thankful for these moments because they really let me appreciate the simplicity of day to day life.. just when I was getting bored with the routine of things.