My idea of vacation

I approached this summer thinking we weren't really going to have a vacation. It is true, if a vacation is leaving the country. However, we just finished a little stay in Beirut with David's sisters, and I realized that it was TOTALLY a vacation. I thought of the ways that, in 9 short months of being a Mom, my idea of vacation has changed a lot. I guess I should say being a Mom where we live. I have to qualify this list by saying that we have lots of friends that live in more difficult places than we do, but I am simply sharing from my new perspective. The things I enjoyed and appreciated most about our little getaway:

• with few exceptions, 24 hour power... which means air conditioners the whole time you sleep, which means I did not wake up every 2 hours to feel how hot it was.
• endless food options that did not require my cooking or washing dishes
• lots of walking to get nearly anywhere you want to go
• bagel with cream cheese for breakfast... yes, I really did order it at a coffee shop, and I definitely saved the cream cheese that squeezed off of my little sandwich. You wouldn't think it was gross if you didn't have the option to eat it all the time!
• coffeeshops across the street from each other and on every corner... with American-style coffee! Not instant coffee, and not with powdered creamer...mmmmmmm
• sitting at previously mentioned coffee shop for 2 hours with sisters-in-law while Joshua, David, and Andrew had a "guys' morning.":-)
• bathing Joshua in a real bathtub; he LOVED it! We are going to have to figure something out at home because during his first bath at home, he successfully emptied a good portion of bath water on me as well as the kitchen floor
• and finally, the indicator that I am, at heart, a city girl: I was relieved to hear construction and honking at all hours of the day and night rather than our neighbors, their roosters, their dogs, and their screaming kids at all hours of the day and night. I think I actually thought the village sounds were charming at first, but I guess that has worn off.