leavin on a jet plane...

i'm going out of town this weekend. i know for most people this wouldn't exactly be a monumental statement. but what if that person hadn't been away from their family in EIGHT years?!? that makes it a little bit more exciting :) i'm flying to kansas city saturday morning to spend three days with our very dear friends at the International House of Prayer. the goal of this trip is essentially a personal retreat after a very hard year. while it will be hard to be away from esme for the first time, i am desperately looking forward to it. but do you know how much planning goes into leaving five kids? i suppose i should have posed that as do you know how much planning goes into it when you are a control freak and totally OCD? things such as laying out the kids clothes for a big family gathering theMr will be taking them to so they don't look homeless? or purchasing lots of frozen foods so that, although it won't be the healthiest, they won't eat mcdonald's every meal? ( i shudder even typing that!) i don't worry about theMr taking care of the kids alone. he's just as capable as i am. they'll probably have more fun than when i'm here! i obsess about the little details like whether anyone will do the baby's hair before the family brunch or if they will delete my shows on the DVR or if there will be any money left in our checking account when i return. just minor details... in the end i just have to let it go and trust it will all be fine. and that's what i'm gonna do. along with sleeping in and eating all of my meals while still warm!