Minneapolis: we went, and I was tired.

I got to take in a new city last weekend. Our last travel wedding of 2012 was to Minneapolis. 

This was also our last pre-baby travel wedding. We really loved traveling for work in 2011. It's awesome to get to explore a new city while not losing money on flights and hotels and restaurants and such. Plus we had each other, so the experience was complete. This year, though, we've become more attached to and comfortable in our own home and each time we left to go travel, we were really happy to return home and sleep in our own bed and make our own food and work in our own office. There's no telling when I'll be traveling for work again, so this was the last hoorah for me for a while. I thought I would be sad to experience this for the last time...but instead I was just really tired.

Tired eyes when our plane landed in Minneap. We went straight to the hotel and thankfully my cranky, complainy body let me sleep for a solid few hours so I could start the trip off feeling strong. 

Our blessed clients put us up in the same hotel they picked out for their out-of-town family, which is rare and sweet and means so much. I have nothing but raving reviews for the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West.  

So we set out, and as soon as I saw the Minnepolis skyline, I said: "Oh, it's so cute!". Then I realized how much Chicago is changing me. I guess Kilimanjaro looks cute and little to someone who lives at the base of Everest. Or something. Anyway, Minneapolis is lovely and easily navigated. It reminded me a lot of Kansas City, my darling town, so therefore I liked it. 

One of Tim's best friends, Tom, lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Val. They took us out to dinner and I learned that Minnesotans are very serious about their cheese and their beer. Good for them, I say. I like a small city that makes a fine product out of their own resources. They're also serious about their coffee, and oh how I wish Chicago were more serious about her coffee. 

We finished the evening at Spyhouse Coffee and I was loving my life. The only thing that would have made it better was if I could have drank as deeply as I wanted from the wealth of this place's La Marzocco espresso spouts...but since I wanted to both sleep and not have heartburn all night, I had to settle for a lame hot chocolate and sneak little sips of Tim's espresso. Pregnancy ruins everything.  

Saturday's wedding was awesome. Cool couple, canine ringbearer, tender families, long awaited dreams come true. Stuff like that. We worked hard and made new friends and went back to the hotel with that good tired feeling. Then Tim fell asleep and I didn't.

I couldn't. It's terrible, and also very typical of me right now, to be the most tired I've ever been but completely unable to sleep. It's the baby pushing up on my lungs and sore joints and racing mind that sabotages my rest. I spent most of the night staring enviously at Tim's peaceful slumber. Finally the morning came. 

We had a quick morning flight back to Chicago, and when the plane landed my exhaustion took over. I had made the trip, done the work, and when I was so close to being home in my own bed, I ran out of energy and strength to hold it together. I think it was the thought of navigating the airport crowds that did me in. Pregnancy cross-wired my tired feelings with my sad feelings, and the tears started flowing apart from my will to hold them back. "Sweetie...you know it's going to be ok..." 

I had to laugh. Of course it was. We were a mere 20 minutes from home. Poor Tim. I did get home and I did get good rest eventually (although it took a few nights). 

Anyways, it was a good trip. And it was good to feel the pull to stay put for a while. I don't want these last months of pregnancy to be full of emotional goodbyes to my former life. Adventure is just going to take on a new form, that's all.