Travel Anxiety

Tomorrow morning, I'll be driving to Salt Lake City and then flying to Boston for a week of work related training. I'm not afraid of flying and really enjoy seeing new places, but with two kids at home, I now get a bit of anxiety when I travel. As soon as the plane lands in Boston, I'll be perfectly relaxed until the flight home and will be fine again when the plane lands in SLC.

Being away for the week isn't so bad but the thought of a plane crash or other accident preventing me from returning home to Leslie and the kids really gets to me. I worry about Haylie and Zander growing up without me. I worry about Haylie missing me and about Zander not being old enough now to remember me later. I worry about Leslie on her own trying to raise two children and trying to explain that their father is gone. There's a LOT of things I'm looking forward to teaching and doing with my children.

Tonight, Haylie cried and asked me not to go. I want very much to say 'yes' and stay close to home this week and every week but the trip is part of work and part of providing for my family. I'm thankful for technology that will allow my to talk them each day and, if I can find the extra web-cam and some bandwidth at the hotel, to see them each day as well.

Loving (and being part of) a family certainly makes some of the ordinary things in life difficult but, I'm grateful every day to have Leslie, Haylie and Zander in my life.