I figured that since Biscuit did so well spending the night with my brother and his family a few weeks ago, we should try a longer stay ... say, a weekend.
So I told Jeff about a month ago that I wanted to drive to my parents' house (my brother lives 5 minute away from them), drop Biscuit off, then head to the beach.
Being the helpful creature he is, Jeff suggested, "Well, my folks will still be here, why don't we get them to keep Biscuit."
"I don't WANT them to keep Biscuit," I told him.
I obviously didn't mean it the way it sounded, but I could see Jeff getting a little defensive ... something you don't usually see from him.
"Don't you think that I have thought and considered and worried and prayed over this decision, and that I've come up with the best possible solution that won't have me so freaked out for the entire trip that we won't have any fun?!?" I said to Jeff.
Deer in the headlights. That was the look Jeff gave to me.
The beach we're at is 2 1/2 hours from my brother's house. The closest beach to where we live is about 4 1/2 hours away. My thought process is that if I'm going to be away from Biscuit for 3 days and 2 nights, I would rather have him 2 1/2 hours away than 4 1/2 hours away.
"What if something happened, and we have to go home early? Do you REALLY want to be in a car with me for an extra 2 hours as we drive back to our house?" I asked Jeff.
"Um, probably not," he said.
"Definitely not," I said.
Plus, my brother has three kids (13, 9 and 7) to keep Biscuit entertained (and to wear him out enough that he'll sleep well while he's with them).
Last week, my brother almost broke my heart. He called me and said, "Hey. What are y'all doing next weekend?"
With a dumbfounded look on my face and a big ball of lead suddenly sitting in my stomach, I said, "We were planning to go to the beach. Did you forget you were supposed to keep Biscuit?"
"Oh ... yeah," he said.
"Well, that's okay. We'll just take him with us. It's not a big deal," I said to him.
Turns out, my brother was doing what lots of mean younger brothers do to wonderfully loving older sisters. He was messing with me.
He remembered all along that he was keeping Biscuit. He just wanted to see how far he could string me along. Mama and Daddy should've let me beat him up more when we were kids!
He was actually calling because he had checked out the weather for New Year's weekend at the beach and saw that it was going to be nice and pretty warm for this time of the year. So he figured he'd take his camper and his family to the south end of the beach Jeff and I are at. He was calling to make sure I was okay with Biscuit traveling with them.
Well, let's see. If we had left Biscuit with Jeff parents, he would've been 4 1/2 hours away. At my brother's house, 2 1/2 hours away. In the camper at the south end of the beach we're at, about 20 minutes away. I really don't think there's a question there.
So for the first time, Jeff and I are spending the weekend away from Biscuit.
I'm happy to say that Biscuit is doing great. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I am not. I miss my baby.
My brother and sister-in-law have raised three great kids. There is absolutely no reason I should think that my son would receive anything other than exemplary care while he is with them.
But I worry anyway. Isn't that what Mamas do?
Jeff and I went to a great restaurant last night. Shrimp, scallops, crab legs. Tasty-yummy-licious! Then we went to see a movie ... something we don't get to do a lot of at home. I was truly amazed at all the little things that reminded me of Biscuit. Things that made me think of him.
Before we all left yesterday morning, my brother said to me, "It's not like you're leaving him with total strangers, you know."
"I know," I said. "But you have no idea what I went through to get that baby, and unlike that comedian who says, 'I brought you into this world, and I'll take you out, then make another one just like you', Biscuit is my only shot. I can't make another one!"
And of course he DOES know what I went through to get that baby. He rolled his eyes and said, "Just go to the beach."
So we did. We're in an oceanfront room on the sixth floor. Just high enough to get a good view without being so high that we can't watch the people (and dogs) walking and playing on the beach.
We're planning to play golf today, and I've found us another seafood restaurant to try tonight.
Meanwhile, I'm waiting impatiently for Jeff to wake up.
I woke up just in time to catch the sun rise (and a few pictures, too).
The first sunrise of the first day of a new year.
Happy New Year. I hope it will be a good one for everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment