Who else would know this?

John and I are taking our first trip away together since before Amelia was born. That is even a bit of an exageration, because I think we only had one or two very small trips away together since we got married. Since the legislative session so kindly ended on time I was able to join John in Las Vegas as he attends a work conference. I don't like Las Vegas at all, but I am enjoying the time to relax during the day and have one on one time with John when he's free. I can feel the tension and the stress I've been carrying around unspooling little by little. I've done yoga every day after a run. It feels decadent.

Yesterday morning I called Grandma Marilyn to check in on the girls. We are missing them something fierce. As Grandma Marilyn was reporting on all the activities of the past few days she mentioned that Ava had asked for cold lunch and wanted to be sure to remind her grandmother that she needed a note in her lunch bag. "A note?" Grandma asks.... Ava explains that when I pack her a cold lunch I always include a little note - "I love your freckles." "You are extra peachy." " I can't wait for our home days." "I am proud to be your mom." Marilyn says to me "who else but you would know this?" And I wanted to cry.

I like getting breakfast for my girls. I know that Ava likes her English muffin lightly toasted, no butter, with peach jam (because she’s peachy). I put the jelly in the middle of each muffin becauseshe likes to spread it around herself. Amelia likes strawberry jam with a little butter, she almost never eats more than a couple of bites but will be very upset if you don’t give her both halves of the muffin. They both like the crusts cut off their cinnamon toast,something I swore I’d never do, but I do it all the time. Ava likes a lot of milk on her cereal. Amelia loves honey drizzled over her Rice Krispies. They both like to dip their pancakes or waffles into a small bowl of syrup on the side of the plate instead of having the syrup drizzled over the top. I like knowing that no matter what the day brings I have made that connection to them and taken the time to help them start their day.

John is a wonderful father and is more than capable of taking the lead in parenting the girls when circumstances warrant, as they did the wanning weeks of the legislative session. Grandma Marilyn couldn't be a better caretaker while we are gone. They can pour cereal and toast English muffins and maybe figure out the milk,the jam and the segregated syrup. Certainly Ava can explain to Grandma how important it is to have a little note in your cold lunch, but only I can mother these children and I miss them terribly when I can’t.