Sunny SLC: Here we come!

So, some of you have asked about our trip this week. Yes, we decided to go, and here's why:

1. We've been married almost nine years. For 7and a half of those 9 years, we've had children. We've gone away together overnight (short of hospitalizations a couple times) without the kids exactly once since Kylie was born, and that was over three years ago when we flew here to find a place to live before the move. I think that is probably unhealthy.

2. I promised myself we would take a cruise this year. I had it all planned out in my head: a three day cruise from Mobile, leave the kids with Mom and Dad for the cruise, finish the week off with a family vacation at the beach or visiting family around the state. Somehow, I just don't see it actually happening. For one thing, Ryan doesn't love the cruise idea, and he dislikes the beach for some reason. Also, our kids have really fantastic grandparents, but they are not the sort who volunteer to take your kids while you go play. It seems my whole idea was ill conceived from the beginning.

3. Ryan found out about this LDS Tech conference, and I didn't do anything to discourage him from going. It was an opportunity for him to go do his nerd thing and attend General Conference in person, so I wanted him to go, but I couldn't help noticing that it was going to wipe out a significant portion of his vacation for the year. I realized that if I wanted to do some kind of just the two of us getting away this year, this was likely my only opportunity, so I jumped.

4. Last, but not least, the question of what to do about the kids resolved itself magically the same day we had decided maybe we should just stay home. Leaving the kids solidly in good hands makes it feel so much better, but it still may just break my heart to leave little Peter for the first time.

So, yeah, it's been a long time coming, and we're excited to be going. And though it's not tropical, or even likely to be very warm, I'll have some time to pretend anyway. Maybe I'll watch the travel channel in the hotel while Ryan is off nerding one day. Or maybe I'll insist on the cruise next year.