... When You Dream of a Vacation

Do you dream of a vacation?  Where would you go?  If you were to have asked me this question years ago, I would have answered, "Outer space!"  If you then had rephrased it to say where on Earth would you go, I would have answered, "Greece."  That was before I had kids.  Lately I've been fantasizing about a cave.  To sleep in. Now I'm not talking about the romantic type of cave, where you sleep behind a waterfall on your honeymoon and listen to the monkeys in the trees and watch the butterflies flutter by.  (Yes, we really did do this on our honeymoon to Costa Rica.  And it was romantic... until the tour guide took out his flashlight and insisted on showing us this

Huge spider with whom we shared a cave

ten feet above our bed, ten minutes before we were going to sleep.  "It's cool," he had said, "It's the same type of spider in the Harry Potter movie."  Well, mister, I've never seen Harry Potter, and I certainly don't think it's a cool adornment to our night chamber).

Picture of the waterfall we slept behind on our honeymoon to Costa Rica.
(Thanks to EC for the recommendation!); July 2010

No, I fantasize about a dark cave, far, far away that no tour guide or whining toddler can find.  A cave where there better be no birds chirping, monkeys climbing, or waterfalls falling.  A dark, dark, absolutely silent cave, where I might actually feel at one with that monstrous spider.  So I can sleep and not do a thing more.

Now, my St. Nick-of-a-husband is making me feel like a Grinch.  So I'll play Santa tonight and wrap more presents and make more fudge.  Ho, ho, ho!  Merry Christmas! -- no stuffing needed.

 

20 weeks, due May 6th

I really am excited for our first Christmas in our new home.  Thankfully, I made it to confession yesterday, so I can enjoy Christmas that much more.  Tonight, we lit all four candles on our Advent wreath and sang "Shepherd, Shepherd" with the kids.  That was neat.  Nick and I can't wait to wrestle Miriam into her cute new Christmas dress for Christmas Eve Mass (though I'm most certain she'll wrestle right out of it and end up wearing something not as cute).  Miri and Noah will look at the Nativity in the church and point, "Jesus!"  (Hopefully they won't just say, "Sheep!")  We can't wait to see our little ones run to the tree in the morning to see what Santa has brought and spend the day with our extended family.

So, no.  I guess I don't really want my cave yet.  I'll quietly anticipate Christmas night by the fireplace with my husband, after the kids are in bed.

...but a cave for New Year's sounds awfully nice!