Headin' home...

Tomorrow, Mike flies in from Kazakhstan to DFW. I pick him up and after an errand or two, we'll load up the car and start back home to Katy with Mom and the dogs in tow. I've heard things are fairly back to normal in Katy after Hurricane Ike, but I'm glad none-the-less that Mike decided to come back to DFW so we could face whatever there is to face together. I've been up here two weeks now and have relied on friends to tell me what our house looks like, my mom's house condition, if gas is available, are groceries in stores, etc. I feel like I "skipped out" by being up here but on the other hand, I didn't want to go through that storm with Mike gone. And I've heard some harrowing tales of "that night" with howling winds and falling trees and much uncertainty. Again, I'd have "weathered the storm" if he had been in the country but given the choice, I'm glad we came up here.

As usual, I'm going through my "this time tomorrow" reel in my head. And it usually centers on not being around children and grandchildren and knowing I'm going to miss them and the routines I've gotten into (Gymboree classes, Starbucks runs, library, clothes shopping, playing). I go through a "mini-mourning" when I leave. I know, I know, cry you a river as I can come up just about any time I want and do spend a lot of time up here. But I do love being around the "next generations". We went to Austin on Saturday so I got a "fix" with Tim and Megan and their precious two, Kennedy and Lleyton. Jennifer, Luke and Ben went with me and we had eight hours of fantastic time together that I swear went by in 15 minutes. Yesterday, I went to the Fort Worth Zoo with Mirai, Luke and Ben (as well as their mamas) followed by a lunch at the delicious Pappa's Burgers. And we celebrated Chris' 26th birthday Monday night as well as Luke's 4th this past week. So I have lots to remember and relive in my mind and heart.

Once I get on the road, I'm always fine - it's just the 24 hours leading up to it. But I bought some groceries to take back (not sure what is in the stores - or worse, what is NOT in the stores!), meat is in the freezer so it will stay cold all the way back home and I'm working on laundry "as we speak". Tomorrow morning, Mom and I will strip beds and do more laundry, remaking beds and putting fresh towels in the bathrooms before we close up the house. The dogs are blissfully unaware of the 4-5 hour drive back - Shelby loves to travel but Izzie gets carsick so I have to medicate her 30 minutes before leaving or risk losing that "new car smell" fairly soon into the journey! :)

So homeward we are bound. I'm more than ready for Mike to be home (I was ready about a week ago but that didn't work out...) and soon we can hopefully "resume our regularly scheduled programing".

Life goes on. Thank goodness!