There's No Place Like Home

Last week, our family went on a well-deserved and needed vacation. It was wonderful, fabulous and after approximately five years, long-overdue.

We chose the Hawaiian island of Oahu, in part because we could get a direct flight but more importantly, it offered sun. Sun in November. Heaven.

The first half of the trip, we relaxed and played on the North Shore and the second, the touristy, city of Waikiki. The beach, the sun, the warm air and the pools, all perfect.

As the trip drew near its end, I found myself missing home. It seems impossible but it's true. Our four year old missed her toys and best friend. I missed my bed and the luxury of a washer / dryer, as well as not living out of a suitcase. I missed a healthy diet; I'd love to say I have the will to maintain a healthy diet on vacation but I do not. Cocktails (something called a Frozen lemonade caught my attention in Waikiki) and decadent desserts called my name daily and I heeded the call of the calorie siren.

Yesterday, our last day in paradise, I packed our bags, laid by the pool and enjoyed my last cocktail but the thought of home nagged me in those last minutes. I wanted to be home. I wanted that long, 5+ hour flight over and I wanted my little girl in her bed.

Our flight was delayed by a medical issue (we had one on the flight over too) and we landed just before midnight. It was an all right flight. With age, our daughter has lost the enthusiasm of sleeping on flights so it was a bit trying and the food on the flight, well, everyone knows the food on planes these days... I purchased a number of garbage snacks like potato chips and M&M's before the flight. I know myself well enough that eating plane food isn't an option, although eating such toxic waste in addition to a week's worth of indulgence made my head hurt, both literally and figuratively.

I carried our daughter to the car while my husband grabbed the checked luggage (one, single gigantic piece carried luggage for the three of us -- and just barely made the weight restriction). The air was damp and cool, refreshing after a long flight. It felt good to be home and I could hear my bed, calling out to me.