Mama Needs a Vacay

It is my personal intention to fully embrace every season of the year and every season of my life. I feel extremely blessed to live where I do with the people I do.

This said, I recently found myself in a place where I kept thinking, "I need a break." A break from a long, cold winter in Saskatchewan. A break from cooking and cleaning. A break from planning for and organizing a household of people. A break away with my wonderful husband who travels frequently for work. A break to just be me. Oh my goodness. Just typing these thoughts sends good shivers down my spine! 

{ my terrific travel partner of nine years }

As it turns out, my guy was thinking the same thing and he has booked a pre-anniversary trip for us to Vegas! {Nine years in April!}

It has been two and a half years since my husband and I have enjoyed a trip together without kids. Between now and then we spent one night out for New Year's Eve, and this is the only night I have spent away from our 16-month-old daughter.

So, the thought of this trip is both thrilling and frightening for me. Since becoming a mom {and especially since having our sense of security yanked out from under us with the passing of our second child} I tend to battle anxiety regarding the health and safety of my children and myself. The "normal" concern that we have as parents can easily venture into crippling paranoia if I am not careful. I have to constantly keep myself in check with comforting scriptures, positive affirmations, prayer and encouraging conversations with supportive friends and family.

My wonderful in-laws, who live on a farm an hour-and-a-half outside the city, have agreed to watch the two kids. I know they are in loving hands, but I still have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as we drive away. There are definitely more tears from Mama than from baby!

The closer we get to the airport, the more my fears fade and the excitement kicks in again. I can already feel the freedom. I will not have to change a bum in five whole days! There are at least 15 consecutive meals in my future that I will not be making!

We check in at the airport and as we head to our gate, I start to feel the internal struggle again. Is it irresponsible to be leaving my kids for five days? {You and your husband need this time together, Laura.} What if the kids get sick? {You left their health cards, and your mother-in-law is a former nurse.} What if our plane falls out of the sky? {I guess it can happen, but it is not likely.} What if we are caught in the cross-fire of a handgun fight in Vegas and my kids are left without parents? {Girl, you definitely have an anxiety problem!}

{ So long, snowy Saskatchewan! }

Once we are in the air, we are offered a beverage and I start to truly relax. I look out at the snowy fields and bid them adieu for a few days. Vegas, here we come!

Well, actually, we first must make a quick stop in Denver. Or, so we thought. To make a long story a blog story, our connecting plane has mechanical difficulties {very comforting} and our flight is delayed for more than five hours. My husband calls ahead to our hotel to let them know we will be arriving much later than expected, but that we are on our way. They tell us "no problem."

It is particularly interesting to watch everyone around us melting down over the flight delay. My husband and I choose to smile and truly be thankful that the mechanical trouble was not detected AFTER we were in the air. We are also considering it a blessing that we are travelling without tired children.

Instead of arriving in Las Vegas at 8:30 p.m., we touch down at 2 a.m. After taking the unwanted "scenic route" courtesy of our enterprising taxi driver, we arrive at New York, New York at around 3 a.m. We are greeted with the news that there are no more rooms at our hotel. {Sigh.}

We remind them that we had prepaid $120 per night a room there and that we also had called to let them know we were going to be late. They try to explain how rare this was and that they will make it up to us with a room at the much-more-posh Cosmopolitan. They also will pay for our taxi, provide $150 in food and beverage credit at New York, New York and will waive some $25-per-night fee.

We are tired, but we are satisfied. Again, we cannot help but feel grateful that we are not facing this new development with two over-tired kids in tow!

{ penthouse sweet ~ a room with a $2,000 view }

At the Cosmopolitan, we find out that we will be getting the very last room at this hotel as well. My husband watches the computer as they complete the transaction . . . for a $2,000-a-night penthouse suite.

This is, by far, the most luxurious place we have ever stayed in our lives! The gorgeous view from our private wrap-around corner balcony is enough to energize us into staying up even later to make the most of the time we have here.

Outside of the amazing walk-out balcony, my next favourite features of the room are the two separate washrooms with two separate showers. I mean, how decadent to have my own private washroom that I can actually use in private!

We will have to check out at 11 a.m. and return to New York, New York, but for a few short hours we can party like rock stars and a little less like Mommy and Daddy. That's all I will say about that. After all, everyone knows, "What happens in Vegas . . . ."