Tomorrow morning, I am heading out to Richmond, Virginia, for an annual meeting of small-college grants officers. It's a pretty important event for people in my role at American liberal-arts colleges: a chance to share ideas, learn from one another, kvetch about the difficulties of the job, and generally form a community. (Apparently there is also a surfeit of eating and drinking.) This particular meeting is the outgrowth, as I understand it, of a longstanding and vibrant email discussion list from which I've gathered a good idea every week since I started my job at Carleton. Given all that, I'm looking forward to the meeting; I'll be better at my job for going.
If I'm looking forward to going, though, I'm not looking forward to being gone. For one thing, Shannon hasn't yet had to take care of both girls for an extended period of time, and though one of her best friends is coming to keep her company while I'm gone, it won't be the same as having me there. I know she'll handle everything with her usual aplomb, but I'd still rather be there. For another thing, I'll miss Shannon and the girls immensely: I haven't been away from Julia for this long since last June, when I traveled on business to New York, and I've never been away from Genevieve for longer than a workday. Nine hours, max! I'll miss Julia's wonderful routines, from calling for me every morning to reading her bedtime stories each night. (And will Shannon even remember how to give her a bath?!?!) Genevieve may not really notice that I'm gone, but I half expect that by the time I get back home, she'll be staggering around without assistance and asking, "Mo numnums, Mama!" I mean, I'm all for my girls growing up, but I'd sure like it if they only did it while I was around.