Back from vacation and up with the sun.

I am not a morning person. Never have been, despite over the years really wanting to be and trying various ways of making myself become one. Over time, though, I find myself stumbling out of bed earlier and earlier as my brain wakes up and convinces my body the early hours of the day are a great time to get things done.

Still, particularly after this past week, I gotta' give my sweetheart some props for the crazy hours he keeps for his job, waking up to his alarm clock while most of the rest of the world (including me) is still snuggled comfortably in bed.

The kids and I just returned from eight days in West Virginia visiting Steve – a week-plus of some of the most relaxing days I've had in a long time. And that's saying something, because life is pretty much a breeze for me these days. I think it had a lot to do with how Sam and Rachel were getting along. They have a few things in common: they love to fish, they love to swim, and they love spending time with their dad, and they could do all of those things over the past several days at the campground where we were staying.

I did get up in the wee hours with Steve a few times. I'd pour myself a cup of coffee and don my hooded sweatshirt over my PJ's to join him outside and say good morning to the crew. Once they left I'd tiptoe back into our camper and crawl back into bed for … oh … another three or four hours ... or if the coffee had kicked in a little I would sit and chat with my dear friend, another pipeliner's wife. And then go back to bed for a while.

One morning after the guys left I strolled over to the edge of the fishing pond and just stood there alone in the pre-dawn glow, watching dragonflies break the surface of the water, feeling the hazy morning air on my skin, smelling the hot coffee in my mug, and listening …

Crickets.

A bullfrog. “Barrrrrrrrrup. Barrrrrrrrrup.”

Birds chirping their good mornings.

A fish jumping.

Daisy the camp duck squeaking quietly at me, nibbling at my toes.

But mostly, silence.

It was heavenly. Today is our first morning back at home and I'm already missing the peacefulness of where we were. Oh, it's peaceful here at home, too, but it's … different. It's just not the same as being removed from all the “busy-ness” of life and having nothing to do but relax and enjoy.

I can't wait to go back.