There are certain situations that make me feel like a terrible Mother. I know I am not......but I just feel torn...and guilty. 

As a working mother, who is predominantly responsible for my son's care, I am the one who has to cut my work day short to pick up a sick or hurt child. 

Today was one of those days. I got a  call from my son's school about 15 minutes before I was to leave for the day. He had a temperature of 102- definitely needed to be picked up. Now here is the problem: number one: I work about 45 minutes from his school (in which I hate on days like these.) Problem number two: I had to find my supervisor to let her know I was about to leave for the day (at my regular time NOT early) and wouldn't be in tomorrow due to the fever. (24 hour fever free school policy-every Mother is familiar with this policy...whether we adhere to it or not is another story completely.) 

Although it was time for me to leave, my supervisor informed me that since I wasn't going to be in tomorrow, everything had to be done! Everything! Now here is the dilemma......I need my job....do I leave anyhow at my regular time, or do I stay? It's a tough position to be in. I stayed an extra 30 minutes, in which I still did not get "everything" done. And during those extra 30 minutes I felt terrible and guilty! I mean what mother chooses to stay late to finish her work when she has a sick child waiting for her at the school? I have always said family comes first, and in the instance, I put work first. And I. Felt. Guilty. All I could think of was how I couldn't to him fast enough. 45 minutes away, leaving work 35 minutes late....behind schedule....sick child....school calling, not once but a third time! I felt terrible! 

And when I arrived to the school, profusely apologizing for my "tardiness" - my son asked what took me so long. Never....Never will I put work before my family when they need me most of all. Work can be replaced, my family cannot. 

First Times.

There are first times for everything: first tooth, first words, first kiss, first job...this has been a weekend of "firsts" for not only myself, but my family as well. 

This weekend, we took "Lola" (our 1973 Volkswagen Bus) on her first 400 + mile road trip. Now, Lola is what's known in the VW world as a Westfalia, or a camper bus. My husband spent the past few weeks diligently preparing Lola for this weekend of a lifetime. In tip-top shape, we headed out to Port Orange, Florida for a huge VW show called No Dough Bus Show. 

Now, let me share with you, there is no better and more fun way to travel than in a VW Bus. The honks, the waves, the looks we get rolling down the interstate at our top speed of (gasp!) 65 miles per hour!! But we were doing it! Getting blown all over the lane by semis and huge tour buses, bouncing along on Georgia's ever-so-wonderful interstate roads! (I'd forgotten to make my "No Dough or Bust"sign for the back window in Lola!) It was a blast! Lola is loved by ALL! 

Upon arrival in Port Orange, we set up at No Dough Bus Show for a long, relaxing day with other VW Bus enthusiasts. Now, for another first, this was our first time driving her out of state to a car show as well. We took Lola on her (and our) first Navigational Rally as well, which is kind of like a scavenger hunt, only in a car!!!! We gave it a try for about 45 minutes and had an absolute blast, as well as a lot of laughs, before turning in our sorry looking answer sheet at the final check point. (I am certain others gave up before and shortly after us as well!) 

That evening, we camped in Lola...drum roll, please.....for the. first. time. And oh my goodness! We loved it! Lola sleeps four, there's a lovely fold out bed, and a child's cot that lies above the driver's and passenger's seat (my son loved it!) as well as a cot that is above in the pop up top area, my VW enthusiasts can picture this,  know most of you can't! Camping in her well, it. was. AWESOME!!!! We have set the tone for any and all of our future road trips. Who needs a hotel? We are driving in one! And let me tell you, camp sights are much cheaper than a decent hotel room any day! We had all we needed, right in Lola. A cooler, a grill, our radio, our dvd player, pillows, and a nice cool breeze....and well as fellow VW lovers right next door! What. a. Blast! I truly cannot wait to do it again!!!

To end the weekend of firsts, on Sunday No Dough had arranged a "No Cash Beach Bash" which was a gathering of VW's on the beach in Daytona Shores. One of the only beaches in the USA where you can actually drive ON the beach! And it was PHENOMENAL!! I am a beach girl, though and through, as well as a car lover! I can think of no better combination than this. It was like having your home right on the beach! During high tide, the water literally was probably 40 feet from the parking area! (Thankfully, it was low tide the majority of our nearly 6 hours on the beach!)

This weekend was an adventure of a lifetime......and marks the beginning of many more road trips like these, driving the backroads, making random stops to sightsee, camping in our VW Bus......and enjoying life together, as a family.

Oh - and one final first to mention: I got my first sunburn - behind my knees!! A painful first, but still....

Heartbreaks

Recently I was telling my son a story of when he was a year or two younger. He's currently 6 (or 6 1/2 if you were to ask him.) He'd woken up one Saturday morning, and crawled into my bed, and under the covers, snuggled under the blanket and quietly closed his eyes, so not to disturb his still somewhat sleeping mother. (You know Mom's are never completely asleep when their children are awake.)

We laid in bed awhile longer, pretend sleeping, mostly. When I popped up, so did my son and the story telling began.

I shared with him how a year or maybe two ago, he used to come into my room when he woke up, he used to crawl up into my bed and "wake" me with a kiss. He proceeded to tell me that he was now in "the first grade" and this was no longer the "cool" thing to do. Really? At the age of 6?!? Wow!!! Do children grow up far too fast these days. (Shhh! Don't tell, but I still get to tuck him in at night and smother him with kisses, in which he "saves"!!!)

My heart broke a little more with this news, one less kiss for Mommy!