Heading North

My wife and I headed north for a couple of days. We kept looking back in the van, half-expecting there to be a chorus of little voices asking for more Shrek songs. But there were none. The kids stayed with the grandparents, and we were alone.

It is so rare for us to be truly alone that we often remember the exact date when we were last sans enfants. If rarity makes something valuable, then time by ourselves - much as we love our little people - is truly cherished.

Still, bedtime was a little odd. No bedtime stories. No cat jumping on my head. I missed the routine, but I was OK getting away from it, even if only for a fleeting day or two.