On a related note...

In my last post, I confessed to coming up blank on topics to write about here.  And I solicited questions - getting quite a few!  I will write them all, but I'm going to start with Joanygee's, since it's still fresh, having just returned from Las Vegas.

Joanygee posed this question:  I'm curious to know how well your two guys got on with you away. Seeing as how their 'linchpin' was missing.

I think they got on quite well.  My husband really is a wonderful and resourceful father, and in the past year, he's been getting a little practice being the sole parent on duty (trip to Korea, this one to Las Vegas).  But it isn't like when I'm there, according to my son.

Unfortunately, when I packed for Vegas, I remembered everything but my phone charger - so we were kind of in the same position we were in for Korea - no phone calls.  I had fully charged my phone before I left, so it was available for emergencies...  and we did most of our communicating via Yahoo or Facebook chat.  There were a couple of calls to let them know I was online, and the second call like that I made, my son answered.  I'd been gone two whole days.

ZBoy:  Mom!!!  Hi!  How are you?!?!  How much longer are you going to be gone?

Me:  (laughing)  Hi, Baby.  I'm fine.  I'm coming home on Saturday.  How's it going there?

ZBoy:  Oh, I'm fine.  Playing with Jeremy right now (his online gaming friend).  Dad's weird.  When we got home from school, he told me to sit down and talk to him.  Then he started talking about money and how we're all screwed...  and politics.  He gets strange when you're gone.

Me:  Lonely, huh?

ZBoy:  Yeah.  He misses you.  I miss you too.  I wish I could hug you goodnight.

Me:  Well, I miss you guys so much!  Can't wait to come home.  Why don't you go play with Jeremy and let me talk to Dad for a minute...

He called down the stairs to Darling Man, said "Love you, Mom!" and handed the phone off.

Darling Man confessed that it was, indeed, strange to not have me there.  I'd given him a couple of chores to do - hand off the tax stuff to our tax man and fill out the registration stuff for Z's new school.  These are things he doesn't normally do, but I ran out of time before I left.  I handle the daily stuff and the money and kind of enforce the schedule.  He did complete the tasks I gave him, but he confessed that he got Z to school late one day and that they'd pretty much been eating out since I left.  He had made dinner that night, but I think that was the only meal that was homemade while I was gone.  Not big things, but a departure from the norm.

When I got off the plane, they both were so happy to see me - it brought tears to my eyes.  I was glad to see them too! 

I think people crave a bit of routine.  They do it without thinking about it until something major disrupts it.  Las Vegas is okay, but it's not home.  I love the life we all live together and everytime I go away, they remember how much they love our routine too - even if Z does complain when I tell him it's time for bed.  But I think I saw a secret smile when I told him.  Mom's home.