There's No Place Like Home

I'm sure this isn't foreign to anyone: you get home from a long day at work and all you want to do is rest. But then you remember you have to make dinner, clean up after dinner, do the wash, feed the cats, give your kid a bath, clean up all the water your kid splashed out of the bath, empty the dishwasher, fill the dishwasher, prepare lunches for the next day, all while giving your child the undivided attention he needs. There are times that I want to drive straight to a hotel and spend the night being massaged and pampered. My "Me Time" has been MIA since I got married and had my son and sometimes I feel myself taking my home and even the time I have with my husband and son for granted. Well, a couple weeks ago God took the opportunity to give me a reality check.

I was chosen to go to San Francisco and attend a conference for my work. My position, Marketing Coordinator, is one I am blessed to be in and I am constantly looking for ways to enhance my skills. The best part is that I got to go with my co-worker and friend, which made the trip the best it could be. The conference ran during the day so we had plenty of time at night to tear up the town.

The first night we walked Fisherman's Wharf and took in some of the infamous tourist spots, including the "bush man" (check him out on You Tube by searching for "Bush man"...he's hilarious!).

The second night we went to the night tour of Alcatraz - what an amazing place. You could feel the years and years of history the minute you set foot on the island. Being there at night was probably the best decision we made that trip because it truly added to the ambiance...and spookiness...of the tour. The funniest part? My co-worker wasn't so much sold on the idea of going at night, even as we were on the ferry ride to the island, and she just happened to be the one the guard locked in the solitary confinement cell. He thought he was being funny but I'm pretty sure her heart stopped for a couple minutes.

The third and final night we had a good time walking through Chinatown and had a fabulous Italian dinner in North Beach, BUT...we were so ready to go home. I can't pride myself in being a city girl and I missed the familiar arms of my small town. Not only that, but my heart was aching for my son and husband. I didn't only crave being with them physically, I also craved the little things that I take for granted: eating dinner together, giving my son a bath, hearing him say "Mommy", watching our 100th episode of Blue's Clues, his head laying on my shoulder as we cuddle before bedtime, the kiss my husband gives me before we go to bed for the night.

This trip brought forth some "smack me in the face realizations" for me: I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams and I can't find the words to describe how thankful I am, I will never take anything I have for granted again, even the little things, my family and friends are my life and home is definitely the best place to be.