A Mother and Child Reunion

A lot of people asked me what my reunion was like with Charlie after being apart from her for two-and-a-half weeks.  (I have been away on a few trips before, but never one this long.)  Well, let it be known, that it was one of the sweetest moments of my life.  I got a big long hug that was just about the most wonderful thing ever.  We don't have any pictures from that moment, but I assure you, it was magnificent!

I was explaining to my friend, Mary-Maye, how the first week away from Charlie felt almost liberating.  Don't get me wrong, I missed Charlotte enormously, but the thought of getting 8+ hours of sleep per night, eating a meal without sharing, leaving the house without a pushchair and diaper bag, not planning my day around naptime, etc., was pretty great!  Yes, I felt a lot of guilt for being away, but I also firmly believe that following my passions and living a fulfilled life is one of the best things I can do for my daughter.

By the end of the second week, however, my tune had changed.  The tour with the choir was quite successful and loads of fun, but I could hardly think about my Charlie without breaking into tears.  It was rough.  We skyped a lot and that helped.  I even got to watch Charlie take her first steps via Skype in that last week.  Luckily, I was busy enough that that last week-and-a-half really flew by.  Before I knew it, I was waiting for Jason and Charlie at Seatac.  We had the car ride up to Mount Vernon to reconnect and then Charlie and I spent more cuddle/playtime once we got to my sister's house.  It was pretty great.  This picture was taken (with the iPad) that evening:

Overall, spending weeks at a time away from my babe isn't ideal, but we're making it work.  I am grateful to have such amazing musical opportunities.  It is a good thing, too, because I have many more on the calendar!