Volume 9, kind of, with a side of drear

Torsten is in Germany for work this week and... ehhhh. It's not super fun. He doesn't travel for work all that much, so I can't really complain (especially since his work is remote and that often comes with a hefty dose of travel). And when he has domestic business trips it's not so bad. But the German ones are just... blah. First of all, he leaves on Saturday afternoon because it's an overnight flight so he arrives in Germany on Sunday morning, takes a nap, has dinner with his parents, and then is rested and ready to work on Monday morning. So we lose pretty much a whole weekend with him every time. Second of all, the eight-hour time difference is absolutely killer. He and I have almost no contact the whole time he's gone--just a couple of quick texts exchanged during the few moments when he has just woken up for the day and I'm about to go to bed.

But the worst part is that he doesn't get to talk to the kids at all the whole time he's gone. When Torsten wakes up for the day, the kids are asleep. When the kids wake up, Torsten is at work. When Torsten gets home from work, the kids are at school. When the kids get home from school, Torsten is asleep. And... repeat. So, it's a full week, not just a work week, of solo parenting for me, combined with a side of the kids missing their dad and asking repeatedly when they're going to get to talk to him and when he's going to come home, and all around it's just no fun.

Also, today is the ninth anniversary of our first date, which is also the day we met for the first time and the day our relationship started. Normally this is the anniversary we care about most, more than our wedding anniversary, but... different continents today, so. Bleh all around.

Anyway! Dreary attitude aside, things are fine, really. The weather has finally turned fall-like, and I noticed this morning that there's fresh snow on the highest mountains, so that's great, and also lovely. With Torsten out of town I can't get to the gym in the evenings, but I've managed to fit in a couple of afternoon sessions, so I feel good about that. A dear friend came over last night after all our respective kids were asleep for the night and just hung out and chatted, and that was delightful and a refreshing dose of adult company. I have a sitter coming tomorrow so I can go to my book club, which I love, so I'm looking forward to that too. And honestly, the kids have been happy and well-behaved and it's going fine.

Also, the kids and I took Montana to the dog park on Monday and for the first time, Callum and Montana really played together, like buds, running together and waiting for each other and just having a good time. Montana has always been totally fine with our kids, gentle and protective, but she has never been thrilled about them--you could tell when we brought Callum home from the hospital that she felt like she was being punished for something, and waves of that rescue dog needy-people-pleaser remorse came rolling off her, and while she's adjusted in the ensuing almost five (!) years, it's never been one of those relationships where kids and dog are BFFs. But at the dog park, they WERE lovely together and very happy, and that was really nice to see.

So it hasn't been a bad week, truly! But. I don't know, it's just dragging. I miss Torsten, and the kids miss him too, and... well, like I said above: ehhhh.

Anyway! Happy anniversary to us. These are the only two pictures I can find of just the two of us from the last year. So... better get on that whole photo-taking thing, because my, how things have changed. So many photos back in the day! Ah, well. The relationship is thriving, so I guess the photos are secondary? Let's hope, anyway.