Mondays aren’t known for workers showing up to work refreshed and motivated, especially when they are so rainy and dreary as it is today in the DC area. But this week has extra meaning, it has more of a reason to drag on than a typical Monday. We leave for a family vacation at the end of the week! Even though we like to take little weekend getaways here and there, this is our first extended vacation as a family in a year and we are all looking forward to it!
The whole family has been counting down to this vacation for some time, but as of Friday when we got within a week, it started to get real. My scatter-brained daughter has asked almost every day if we are going to the beach tomorrow, quickly followed by “Oh yeah, I mean are we going to Gran’s tomorrow on the way to the beach?” We decided to break the trip up into two days and make it to VA Beach to see my mom and spend the night with her to make two 4-5 hour drives instead of about 7.5 all the way through just to save leaving well before dawn to miss traffic. These are the adventures of living near the Nation’s Capital, traffic every day regardless of the time!
We are going to North Myrtle Beach, which we have done for years after my in-laws got us hooked. We have gotten our own place for a few years now and had a house last year, but it was far more space than we needed and the price tag was pretty high. We decided to get a condo this year, it still has enough room for us, the kids and a spare bedroom for some friends that are coming to get away as well. This year we are in the same building as my brother’s family and another couple that we are close with, along with all of their associated tiny humans for maximum play time. My Dad is even coming down and staying part of the time in a hotel just a few miles away. Unfortunately, my mom’s cat is sick so she can’t make the trip with us this year.
So back to my incredibly dreary Monday. I rarely sleep well on Sunday nights and last night was no different but waking up to rain didn’t help. I went through my morning emails and started with my podcasts and when I got hungry, I decided it was time for my morning walk (which I normally take around 7:45) and I realized it was only 7:00! I feel myself turning into Lilly with my mind wandering about being at the beach while sitting in my cubicle and praying that this week doesn’t drag it’s butt like Monday has thus far.
I am looking forward to time on the beach with the family, eating great food and really just relaxing. It is a full week that I don’t have to commute to DC or have to think about work, ideally I will come back with a nice tan and feeling fully refreshed. I have a few books that I want to get finished while sitting at the beach or on the balcony overlooking the sand. I look forward to casting a line in the surf with a beer in my hand and not a worry in the world. Lilly asked if she could fish with me, so that could be fun (for a few minutes at least). I want to kick a soccer ball on the beach with Brennan and just see how much fun they have on the beach! I’ll live in this fantasy land for a few more days leading up to the road trip, realizing this is not how family vacations actually work, but don’t burst my bubble damnit! My kids won’t argue at all, they’ll enjoy everything we eat, they’ll listen to what we tell them and they will go to bed when we ask; Oh it will be so grand! It’s worth a shot!
Stay strong out there dads and come on Friday!! Be sure to check out my full blog at www.allgoodinthefatherhood.com