Holiday.

In Europe, I love that they talk about vacations as going on a holiday. Something about saying, "I'm taking a holiday" sounds so much more glamorous than vacation.

One shouldn't be choosy I suppose. Vacations, holidays, travels. All good things.

I've had my share of great travels.

My parents enjoyed taking us on many family vacations growing up. From Arizona to DC to Florida to various road trips.

I participated in a student exchange program to Moscow, Russia when I was fourteen. I learned a lot about life, myself and this world on that trip. It was an amazing, exhilirating, terrifying experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.

In college, my travels continued. I spent spring break one year in Virginia Beach, Virginia. (Drooling over my aunts cute neighbor Kevin, I guess I always had a thing for the older man.)

The following year I spent almost my entire Christmas break in Florida with Abbie. To this day, we still talk about that trip. Two very full days in the car on the way there. In a Volvo wagon. Smooshed in the backseat with a carseat between us. Oh, I didn't mention we went there with a family we nannied.

We could have very well written the Nanny Diaries on that trip alone.

Though we were "working", the two of us went broke on that trip. Again, another trip I wouldn't have traded.

Later that year I went on a Caribbean Cruise, where I fulfilled my lifelong dream of getting my hair in those tiny tiny braids. I don't think my dirty blonde hair has ever been lighter.

I met J the following year. A few days after meeting, I left for Stockholm and Jonkoping, Sweden with Anne. Fulfilling another life long plan/dream...to go to Sweden.

Once J and I started dating, I didn't have such wanderlust.

Yes I still needed to get to Chicago. Still needed to get to Michigan.

Here and there trips.

And J accomodated, went along sometimes. Stayed behind other times.

Before we got married we went to London, England for three days on our way to Athens, Greece.

While I do admit, I've loved each of my European trips. London is my favorite.

The cobblestone walkways, the busy pubs, the double decker busses. But the part that I think made it my favorite was being young, in love, hand in hand with J.

We flew to Athens a couple days later to visit Megan. Had a lovely time visiting, seeing her life, touching the Meditteranean Sea.

We married, went on our honeymoon and settled into our new life.

We went on our occasional weekend trips.

We've taken vacations with the kids.

I've accompanied J on a couple work trips.

But a few months ago I realized that beyond a weekend sort of thing, J and I have not taken a "holiday" in a long time.

We get so busy, so caught up in daily life and responsibilities.

We try to do date nights and such, and just a week ago were able to celebrate our anniversary.

To me, love is taking a holiday with your favorite person.

So this week we're getting ready to leave H with my parents. We'll leave T and M with their mom. We don't leave until Saturday, yet I am so excited.

We're taking a holiday to San Francisco.

Just me. And him.

PS...Thank you for all the emails and notes about the moving of the blog. I promise all is well.

PPS...I'm sure I'll post again before we leave on our trip, I'm just so excited though!

PPPS...I might have changed my mind about mornings after getting two very poky individuals out the door today only for them both to come home crying/tattling about what the other did or said at the bus stop. As I gave my final hugs goodbye I said, I think I changed my mind about mornings. We're a little ways away from enjoyment yet.