To Grandmother's house we go ...

Bicycles?
Check
Fishing poles?
Check
Henry Doorly Zoo pass?
Check

The boys and I are off to Grandma and Grandpa’s house tomorrow. They live on the Elkhorn River, just outside of Waterloo, Nebraska. This is roughly a 10-hour drive from my house.

The boys are very excited. I am currently having a hard time seeing beyond the packing and the driving, which is why I am writing, rather than packing.

Kurt has to work.

I picture him having a relaxing cup of coffee with the dogs in a quiet house every morning, listening to NPR and taking his time getting ready for work. He won’t have to change his pants (twice) because someone hugged him with peanut-buttery hands. He won’t have to hunt for the car keys that were used to start up Kai’s crane, or the work badge that somehow found its way under the seat of Retro Rocket.

He’ll get in some of those long runs he needs to begin training for the Marine Corp Marathon next fall.

He’ll take his bike to work, and ride fast up the hills without the weight of a trailer or a wife to slow him down.

He’ll have time to read the mail; time to finish a project ... and a conversation ... and a meal ... without interruption.

Kurt won’t be woken in the middle of the night by Kai, who is scared and had a nightmare and needs to put his icy feet on Daddy’s tummy so he can fall back asleep.

He won’t be woken before dawn by Berg, who has already told one story and is midway through the second before his audience is fully awake and is it OK if he already got out the peanut butter and some pickles for breakfast?

We’re going to be gone for two weeks.

Kurt is going to be miserable.