ReShape Mondays

You guessed it, today is Monday...again. Today's ReShape Mondays focus is family collaboration. Here's my story...

Photo from fineartamerica.com (Michael Tompsett)

Two weeks ago, my manager at work informed me that I would be traveling to San Francisco, California for one week. Uuugghhh, not again. I had already traveled to Los Angeles back in September for a week. Seriously?

Here's a little background info: the department is getting a new system. The new system goes live in September. I am the trainer. We have staff members that need to be trained. You already get the picture, right?

"Man, I wish they were sending me." "Girl, this can be like a vacation for you." "You can get some rest." "Oohh, that is gonna be so much fun." ~ watercooler talk from the peanut gallery, i.e. my coworkers.

I think it's great that an organization sends their employees to receive training. Not only that but reimburses them for their travel expenses. The flipside to this would mean leaving my husband and kids for a week. Yes, Yogli is 16, old enough to take care of himself and Hummingbird. Yes, MonkeyMan is an adult who can handle two kids for a week. Now, factor in my A-type personality. Yes, she reared her ugly head. Upon hearing this travel news, my A-type personality went into overdrive:

Who’s gonna cook dinner?

OMG, when will you sleep?!?!?! (remember, he works 3^rd shift!)

You gotta remember Hummingbird spars on Thursdays in karate, so you must put her spar bag in your car on Wednesday so you can drop it off for Thursday.

Morning dropoff is before 7:40 am, anytime after that, she’s late!

Ok, I have ironed her clothes for the week (which I do every week).

Please make sure that Yogli finishes his homework.

Can you tell that I am not used to being away long periods of time? I am so grateful for MonkeyMan, he has a way of talking me down from ledges. Told me to relax, that they would be ok, we would make it work. Aaaahhh....

My flight was on Sunday. We spent the morning at church, had lunch, then grocery shopped. The kids picked out their favorite snacks. I talked with Hummingbird about where I was going, where it was on the map. Told Yogli to please keep his phone charged at all times. I told the kids that I would Skype with them daily.

Everything was in place. It was time to leave. Drop off was fine. I boarded the plane, flew, landed, attended my classes for 5 days, flew back home. In between all of that, I enjoyed my trip, made new connections, learned a ton of stuff, Skyped and FaceTimed with my kids, used this cutesy app called Couple with my husband and relaxed.

A few things made this trip successful:

• working as a team with my spouse
• being open and truthful with our kids
• stop listening to inner negative chatter
• sometimes there are things we don't want to do, but that's life
• see the brighter side and glean useful nuggets from the experience

It's funny how when I was told I would be traveling, it seemed to linger. But now that I've been back for two days, the past week seems like a blur. Is that called "making a mountain out of a molehill?"

How about you, what helped to ReShape your Monday?