Leaving the boys behind is never easy. I love what I do, I love travelling and will travel for business when the opportunity knocks, always, but a small part of me is left behind at home.
I landed in Dallas, Texas last Wednesday and am currently sitting at the airport, not quite a week later ready to fly home. I came for the rewardStyle conference, a conference for rS bloggers to learn more about being the best we can be, learn technical stuff (yes, stuff, because I am no not technical, I don’t know what else to call it) and to meet with brands that are interested in working with you.
It is safe to say, the trip was a success and I even got to let loose a little and party each night with the worlds’ top bloggers (go mama!) I managed to visit the JFK museum and see the spot where he was assassinated (saddest thing ever) eat like a local- I am talkin’ Ribs, BBQ, Tex Mex and In-n-Out burger y’all! I also managed to, well (wait for it, can’t believe I am even documenting this moment) block an American toilet! Well, apparently it’s the right of passage for an Aussie visiting the States to block a loo with the amount of toilet paper we use? Someone please give me a little with this and agree? yikes!
Meanwhile, each day, a face-time here and a very expensive call there to connect with my boys and not a tear was shed. Until… just now, as I am waiting to board my flight to come home and I hear from back home that my boys are missing their mummy.
This whole time, I was thinking “oh, I have done so well, I haven’t been sad at all” but it didn’t cross my mind to think that the boys would miss me. Silly mummy! Apparently Aston has been walking around like a sad sod, hiding under tables and saying “I miss my mummy” (tears) and Will basically cries every time he is shown my snap chat (wipes tears so the dude sitting next to me in the Qantas lounge doesn’t see) maybe he really knows that I missed his second birthday whilst I was away?
I suppose as a mother, we think we have it all covered when we go away, plan the children’s babysitting schedule before our departure, check in with a phone call every now and then, get sad when we say goodbye, but the idea of the child potentially worrying that their mummy will never come home is something that didn’t register in my mummy 101 handbook. It just goes to show, we are constantly learning new things, new situations to add to that mummy handbook that we thought we had down pat.
Does this mean I should bring them on my next trip? Do I do a 16hour flight with a toddler and pre-schooler slash a husband who hates flying? Only time will tell, but what I do know is, mumma had some great (and much deserved if I do say so myself) ‘me’ time for work and play and we do what we do in the best way we can.
xox check out my INSTAGRAM for some highlights
