Flying By

It seems like just yesterday that I was preparing to get ready to think about Jud flying to DC for a few days. That was now two weeks ago and it has barely set in that his trip is over and Thanksgiving has come and gone. He flew out during reading week and got to see my Grans and his grandparents and sort of go to this conference thingy. Then that Friday, he got up all early (3 am) and drove to BWI from southwesternish DC and got on a plane to come back to Dallas. Around 1:30 that afternoon we got in my car and started driving north.

I should tell you that I was a little shocked to see him because he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days and looked kind of like homeless-Jud, who, although rugged in his good looks, is also very scratchy and foreign to me. He looked pretty tired and smelled like his grandparents’ house (you know your grandparents house has a smell too. Everybody’s house has a smell no matter what and some of them are okay and some of them are less than okay, but with my pregnancy nose, I just could not stand the smell of his jacket. I can’t describe the smell or anything. It doesn’t smell like a cream or a lotion or a food item or any other familiar thing. It’s just a smell that the house takes on from your cooking and your cleaning and the people and things inside of it. In general, I don’t like the way most people’s houses smell. I’m picky. Also maybe a smell snob.) But, I missed him a lot while he was gone so I was glad he was there with me.

We were doing okay on the trip up. I didn’t have too many bathroom needs, but we were obviously stopping more than we normally do. By the time 9:30 hit, Jud looked dead tired. I was feeling really uncomfortable and I knew it was time to stop. We were still on the K-Pike but nearing our exit so I called OnStar (or my dad, either one) and asked him to look up hotels right off the interstate where we could lay our weary heads. He found one that seemed non-dumpy and yet not overpriced and called them to make a reservation. Then he paid for the room. (He is like that. Sneaky. Generous. Generously sneaky. I love this side of him.) I think Jud was asleep as soon as he lay down.

We made it to Omaha the next morning early enough to help set up and decorate for the All Church Thanksgiving dinner. It was good to see some people before the busy Sunday and get to say hello. There were lots of people moving things around in the gym and making things in the kitchen and it reminded me of all of the community that we are missing out on while we are away. I’m sure we’ll help set up next year too.

I had the whole week off of work, so I filled my days with breakfasts, lunches, coffees and dinners with friends. I also saw my dentist for some crazy tooth pain (no cavities, just pregnancy gums), my mother’s stylist who cut my hairs, got to go to chapel to hear about Portugal from Rebecca and just relax in general. It was much needed and pretty wonderful.

The drive home was terrible. It was good weather. Jud drove the whole way. We had plenty of snacks. But my UTI made the whole thing one giant pain in my lower abdominal area and the constant urge to pee made stopping even more frequently a complete necessity. (Side note: My husband is 100% awesome. He has always been 100% awesome to me, but since the whole preggers bit he has been even more understanding, even more patient, even more accommodating, even more loving, even more awesome than he already was. I didn’t even know it was possible).

So, yesterday morning, after thinking long and hard about the ridiculously long drive home the day before, we bought plane tickets. (Sorry for that lame present you’ll be getting for Christmas. It’s too bad we spent it all on ourselves!)