Deep in the Heart of Texas

I have spent the last few weeks frantically preparing and over preparing for a new venture.  I have taken the plunge and walked away from a full time job, benefits and a guaranteed pay check.  This is hard to type as it doesn't look like the best idea when I see it in print.  Although most of my best ideas don't.

If you have followed this blog for any amount of time you have probably read between the lines or actually even just read the lines and can see that staying home with the boys has always been a siren that is calling to me.  That being said, I am now a stay home mom... a stay home mom with a twist. 

Our current plan will allow me to stay home for weeks on end but pick up some consulting work every now and then (when I run out of money).  My first gig came a bit quicker than I anticipated though.  I was only home about two weeks between my last day at my current job and the day I flew out.  This was not enough time to prepare the boys and Scott to spend 17 days without me. 

I prepped and I prepped and I prepped.  The family closet is labeled, the shoes are labeled, the supplies are labeled, the back up supplies are labeled and the labels are labeled.  Some of the last minute preps were really for my peace of mind, not theirs.  In my mind, I knew things would just work out fine it I went through and added a few more smiley faces on my lists of steps or if I hid another spare key or if I left one more surprise note for the boys to find.  When I wasn't prepping, I was researching tactics for leaving your children home while on business trips.  I got lots of great advice and implemented it.  We have calendars, postcards, a paper chain and several other recommended processes for helping the boys cope and understand that I will be back and am still accessible. 

I write this blog from Texas, far far from home.  I am sitting in a giant hotel room, in a king bed that just doesn't seem the same without several little boys fighting me for another inch of space or drooling on  my pillow.  Today I am in a good place emotionally.  I worried about that.  I talk to the boys often and am looking forward to Skyping with them soon. 

I fully intend to nurse my little Huckleberry when I return so my milk supply is on my to do list including a timer that goes off every four hours to remind me that I best be finding a nook to tuck away and hide in while pumping.  Pumping is a coping skill for me.  It reminds me of when Huck was in the NICU.  During a time when I had no control, pumping was productive and helpful to him.  It was the one thing I felt I could do to.  breast milk and travel logistics are just a bit messy.  I have been very creative thus far and have no plans of losing my milk supply while on this trip, even if that means pumping in strange places, storing my breast milk all over Texas like a squirrel hiding nuts, or nursing a cowboy baby... just kidding.

More than a few of my conversations have started off with, "Hi, I'm Erin.  I will be your consultant for the next 17 days.  Is there any chance I could stick some breast milk in your freezer?"  So at the end of my trip I will be gathering up my supply and trying to fly home with it.  Wish me luck. 

I'm a bit worried that I may be picking up an accent.  I found myself mimicking some of the staff that I've been working with and I't only been 24 hours.  If that's the worst thing I bring back from Texas, I suppose it'll be ok.

On that note, I've been up now for 28 hours and it's time to close my eyes and get some sleep. 

Ya'll come back now, ya hear?

I will be in Texas for the next 17 days.  I have lots of extra help and some super specials visitors lined up for the boys the next two weeks.  This will no doubt be an adventure, maybe more for them than me!  So far so good though.