And Then There Were Two

A long while ago the Eskridge family was a family of 2.  

We slept whenever we wanted.  

There were only 2 sets of taste buds to please at dinner time and you never heard the phrase, "you at least have to try 1 bite," uttered at our table.

We didn't plan our days around nap time and we didn't worry about packing snacks whenever we walked out the door.  

We'd happily spend an afternoon visiting shops with lots of breakables.  

We actually got tired of going to the bookstore for a date and tried to think of new things to do.

If the urge to take a road trip struck, we'd drive to San Louis Obisbo and back home the next day.

Or to Seattle.  In the middle of winter.

Life was different.

Back then I would have scoffed at 1 night away.
"It's not even long enough to really relax." 
"You just get unpacked and then you have to pack up again."
But that was then.
And this is now.
Now we are 5.


Now we sleep when we can.
And it is the broken, fragmented sleep of people who share their too small bed with 2 not so small kids.
Sometimes one of us just goes and sleeps on the bottom bunk.
It seldom happens that everyone is pleased with dinner.
Now we hate to miss nap time, even though we only have 1 napper.
Snacks are a critical component to the success of any mission.
We seldom visit shops with lots of breakables due to the constant use of the phrase: "look with your eyes and not with your hands." 
It sounds really annoying after a while.
We have not had enough dates in the last 6 years to get bored of anything.
Road trips we have done.  With everyone.  And without a portable DVD player.
But they are not spur of the moment.
Life is different.


That is how we got here.  2+ years without a night away -- just the 2 of us.
We'd tried to make it happen, but it hadn't worked out.
Our only extended time alone ended with me in the hospital and lots of tears.
Not what you'd call a fun weekend away.
So, spur of the moment, Aaron looked up hotels in Palm Springs.
"Ask your parents if they can watch the kids,"he said.
It was last minute, but they agreed.
"And don't come back until evening," my Mom said.  "Enjoy the whole weekend."


Oh did we ever.
We enjoyed every minute.
We left at 8 am on Saturday and didn't return until 8 pm on Sunday.
We stopped when we wanted.
We shopped when we wanted.
We slept when we wanted.
We ate when we wanted.
We followed no schedule at all.
It was glorious.
Just the 2 of us.

Don't get me wrong.  Another night would have been even better.
But we aren't greedy.  We made the most of every moment.
We had fun together and that felt good.
And when we pulled into the driveway at my parents house, I couldn't wait to jump out of the car and kiss my babies.
Because 2 is nice, but 5 is better.


Special thanks to my Mom and Dad for giving us a spur of the moment trip back to the old days.  You guys rock!  
More pictures, lots more, to come.  Here and on Picnics.
Love from,
Greta


*Photo booth pictures were taken at the ACE Hotel in Palm Springs.  You can read more about it here.