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Every Little Thing by April Jeppson

You know how people say they need a vacation after their vacation? When I was younger I used to think that was the dumbest thing to say. I couldn’t wrap my head around why on earth you’d need more time off of work since you just had a bunch of time off. Granted, I was in my early twenties and had pretty much zero responsibility outside of paying a few bills and taking care of myself.

Now that I’m the adult and have to make the trip plans for not only myself but the others that live in my house, I now understand what people were saying. It’s more than just having to ensure everyone is fed and has clean clothes. It’s that I’m 20 years older, and my body simply doesn’t bounce back as quickly as it used to. Eating vacation food can throw me off balance for days.

Sleeping in a different bed or heaven forbid a different time zone, and I truly do need that bonus vacation.

I have recently discovered another kind of vacation that I need. It’s the one you take before you actually leave. A pre-vacation, if you will. A day where I can wash some laundry and pack my bags. If I’m visiting warm weather, I’d also like to get a pedicure before I leave. I used to be able to just toss my stuff in a bag and go, but now I have to make sure that everyone packed enough underwear. Being a parent is weird sometimes.

So here’s the math I’ve had to do for my most recent trip. I went into work early, used a half day of vacation and then came home to pack. I made sure to start the laundry before I left so that as I was running around my house, my clothes would dry and I’d have all my favorite clothes ready to go. Because this is a shorter trip, we will be milking every minute of it. We plan to drive home in the evening (kids can sleep in the car if they want), and I can use another half day of vacation if I need.

I’ll admit that I have decided not to go somewhere simply because it seemed like too much work. Drive for a few hours, spend hundreds on lodging, figure out where the best places to eat are and make sure that everyone has swimsuits that fit them only to pack up and drive home two days later? Nah, I’m good.

I’m actually really looking forward to my next trip. We’re going up north to my home to celebrate Wild Rice Days. I grew up there, so I don’t have to stress and plan on where I’m going to eat or what I’m going to do. We are staying at my childhood home so honestly I could pack a bunch of dirty clothes and just do laundry on arrival. I get to see family and friends and enjoy a beautiful weekend of small town festivities.

So this vacation, I don’t really need a pre or post vacation add on. I’ll leave early from work, but only because I want to hurry up and see my family. I’ll be able to do laundry while I’m there so that means I’ll return home with a suitcase of clean clothes. I just looked at the weather and it looks absolutely gorgeous this weekend. Now this feels like a real vacation.

Albert Lean April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams. Her column appears every Saturday.