Setting My Husband Up For Success ~ One Man Down

A few weeks ago you may remember that I flew up to the DC area to be with my siblings (and parents) for my brother and sister-in-law to celebrate the soon-to-be arrival of their first baby (OMG I CANNOT WAIT TO MEAT HER!!!!).  I had a BLAST!  I'm pretty sure the only time I haven't traveled with any of my own family to see my extended family was for my grandpa and Nana's funerals, and I had at least one child with me on both of those trips.  So this was a big trip for me.

Me, my brother Andrew, and my gorgeous sister Deedee

My mom, Dana (my sis-in-law with the cutest baby bump), myself and my sister

I flew by myself.
I didn't have to answer a million questions about the airplane.
My snacks were not shared.
I traveled with ONE carry-on bag (no sippy cups, diaper bags, games or violin)

Oh the freedom...

In fact, when Josh asked me which airline I was flying into I couldn't even remember, and the shrug of the shoulders answer to who was picking me up didn't phase ME in the least.  Josh, on the other hand, was getting a little bit squirmy as to the lack of details I had available for him (from the girl who typically gives WAY TOO MUCH detail).

But before I left I had a lot of preparing to do.

And packing myself and mentally checking out were the last on the list.

Josh was beginning his first week intensive for school and had a TON of work to get done so I had to make plans for each of the littles.  Lucky for us, we have very sweet, generous friends who took in each of our kids and it all worked out great.

It isn't that I didn't think Josh could handle it, but I wanted the weekend to be a success...for EVERYone.  We are a team and when a team member leaves it can get a bit tricky.

Now this weekend, I am about to embark on yet another first for me.

I am heading to the beach tonight, for a girls getaway with my triad quad squad.  With 22 kids between the six of us moms we are well overdue for a getaway together.  We have been spread out around the world over the past year and a half so we are so excited to spend a couple uninterrupted days together.

(I know, it's hard not to be jealous...sorry, not sorry;)

But again, prior to this wonderful weekend away I have had some planning to do.
I am leaving Josh with our 5 littles plus 1 cousin.  That's 6 kids 9 and under.
I am completely confident in him as a dad, uncle and "entertainer" (I'll never know how he can be so productive with kids climbing all over him and NEVER losing his cool!), but I also know that weekends are not his "off" days (you totally understand if you are on staff at a church).  He already has a lot on his plate mentally to be able to do his job on Sunday mornings so I did as much as I could to help him out before I left.

Besides, Josh and I work as a team, ESPECIALLY on the weekends.  I don't want him walking around as if he is a man down, as he gets 6 kids out the door at 6am on Sunday morning!  I want to set him up to successfully get to church, with ALL the kids (and their shoes), with something to eat, without having to think too much about it so he can concentrate at the things he normally has to do himself.

For starters, I made sure he had food.
(there's nothing like the mom leaving the roost with nothing in the cabinets to eat)

I wrote out everything I could think of that would help get the kids out for school on Friday morning.

I listed everything that goes in the diaper bag for Jude and packed the Sunday breakfast bag before leaving.

All these things he could have done on his own, but I'm pretty sure it is going to make his life much easier this weekend if he knows what to expect, and I can still kind do my job while not really being physically around.

Yes, I'm checking out this weekend (glory!), but I am still thinking about my family and want them to have a GREAT time (Plus, I want my hubby to allow me to get away again from time to time without thinking the world may end, ha!)

It's not about me being an awesome wife (Lord knows I'm not.  In fact, Josh is probably laughing at my endless lists.  Plus, I'm SURE I forgot SOMEthing!), and it's not about me being unable to let go (ok, maybe it's hard to let go).  It's about me setting Josh up to succeed.  My husband.  My soul mate.  My best friend.  I want to see him have a great weekend too.