We made it home. Always a miracle, to say the least. Aside from one suitcase and one car seat still MIA, six flight delays, one missed flight, a water spill, one potty accident, and finally making it home at one in the morning, all five Slater bodies are well and accounted for.
The last words out of my mouth as our weary, travelling heads hit the pillows this morning were, "Dear God, please don't let the kids get up before 10am!"
They were up at 6:30.
I've spent the first three hours of my first morning home paying bills, going through hundreds of e-mails, digging through our cupboards and fridge for breakfast foods that are still edible after two weeks away, and chugging down coffee like water.
My suitcase is still packed. Can I just head to the airport and hop on the first plane back to North Carolina? I called my mom this morning, and they were at the beach. Post vacation depression has officially set in. All five of us have shed rivers of tears. I miss my family back East, Sydney is mourning the end of her first summer crush, and wouldn't you know it...Portland is gray and drizzly. Really. Can I please get back on a plane now? I'm not kidding.
Vacation is over. That's the reality. I'm slowly working my way back into the saddle again. Being away, and being unplugged, gave me thousands of minutes to think, process, and reevaluate my life. Walks on the beach, conversations with my family, and much empty time has given me a fresh perspective that I believe I lacked before. My core values have not changed, but there are changes to the way I live them out that I want to make.
One of the changes will be to unplug more frequently. Amazingly, I had no withdrawals or negative side effects from little internet access. On the contrary, I found myself liberated and peaceful. I need more of that.
And so, I'm going to wrap up my first post-vacation blog post, and get to work on unpacking my suitcase. There's a high probability that tears will be shed in the process. If you think about it...pray for me! :)
And have no fear...I've got a lot of stuff in this head of mine to share with you! Little by little, it will all leak out.