Missing Mommy

 There’s something both rewarding and heart wrenching about missing someone. If you’re missed, it makes you feel valued and appreciated. If you’re missing someone else, it helps you to appreciate and value that person even more.

 After five days away from my family last week, I’ve come to realize that missing mommy is healthy and painful at the same time.

 I spent the last week at a journalism convention in Austin, Texas. The stress of preparing for the trip was horrendous – getting the kids’ packed, setting up arrangements for overnight stays, transportation from school, dance lessons, etc. What was worse, though, was the anticipation of missing Halloween, missing classroom parties, and missing my babies in general.

 No matter how much you prepare for a trip away, you’re never fully prepared for the feeling that settles in the pit of your stomach when you get that call from your son or daughter, tearfully telling you how much they miss you. “I keep crying myself to sleep,” my son said. “I don’t want you to go away anymore,” my daughter said.

 As much as I missed them and felt torn in every possible direction, a part of me was grateful that my kids cared enough about me to express themselves. It was a heart-wrenching reward to be appreciated as a parent.

 So, as I sat in the hotel lobby Halloween night, watching college students parade around in the most ridiculous costumes, inevitably headed for the night life of 6^th street, I decided that the tearful phone calls from my kids were just too much – I needed to see them.

 And that’s what I did. I pulled up the webcam video chat, called them, and saw my angels in their costumes. We all giggled as I scanned the room with the webcam and showed them the people dressed up for the evening. I called over Batman, Robin, and even Jack-in-the-Box to wave to my kids. They were now a part of my trip and I was a part of their adventure.

 Technology is a life saver sometimes. It helps us to establish a “real” connection with the ones we miss. Even though I was in Texas and my children were in Illinois, we were able to spend a few precious moments missing each other in “real time.”

 To me, that’s what real parenting is all about.

– Shannon Philpott
Blog Entry: Nov. 2, 2009

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