Home for 36 Hours

I wrote this on my late night flight home last Friday.

There was a time in my life where traveling for work gave me an escape from reality.  Escape from unhappy relationships and escape some realities of life that I didn’t want to face.  Work would ask if I could go to a warmer city for three weeks or even six, and I’d gladly pack my bags, planning adventures for each weekend.  I made friends in both cities; a little support network of dinner companions and road-trip passengers.  Meanwhile my life back home was stagnant; treading water but far from making any progress - and that’s exactly how I wanted it.  

There came a point in my life where I was ready for more.  I had begun a romantic relationship with my best friend and I no longer wanted to escape.  Traveling got on my nerves as I dealt with the TSA and flight delays, and found myself counting down the hours until I was back home.  Sometimes date nights were burritos at the 24-hour mexican restaurant after my flight arrived at 11pm.  Sometimes watching movies together over video chat from the other side of the globe.  Hardly ideal, but we made it work.  

After we married, my amazing boss helped me transition to a client who would require shorter, less frequent trips and I settled into life in Des Moines in the house James and I have made into a home.  It is amazing how homesick I feel when I travel now.  Even four nights away from James, my bonus kid, and our dogs seems too long.  

My role is changing again and there is more travel in my future.  This week was the first of two weeks in Phoenix, Arizona, and I’m currently somewhere over Kansas as I fly home for thirty-six hours.  I’m sure he and our friends are at Friday night trivia, and hopefully will have a big win to report when he picks me up at 11:45 tonight.  

Thirty six hours is enough time for two photoshoots, a bridal shower, and a wedding consult, plus a date night Saturday before I fly out again midday Sunday.  I know this is my first trip for the year, but I’m already exhausted thinking about how hard the back and forth can be.  And I’m super bummed because my bonus kid is on a roadtrip for a school extracurricular and won’t be home until a few hours after I fly out again.  But traveling home is always worth it to see the wonderful guy whose support makes my busy life possible.