That's 54 meals I don't be sharing or preparing with my family -- including 14 breakfasts and 11 box lunches lovingly made for my husband before each of the 14 kisses which won't accompany him to work. Averaging the daily hugs from 3 kids, that's a deficit of 162 familiar embraces. I'm still configuring the infinite number of indignant responses to chore requests, NO's, and what's for dinner. Oh, not to mention the absence of 18 WFD from my husband by phone, text, e-mail, or Facebook!
My husband and kids will have to rough it without mom for 432 hours, give or take. Approximately 15 loads of laundry will be washed and dried without my help. (They already sort and fold.) Ashley will fill the small watering can to keep my ferns going 72 times before I return. The cardinals I catch sight of 4 to 5 times a day shall receive their sustenance 9 times by Sarah's hands. Zachary had better check the oil and gas in our new lawn mower before each go-round 6 times . . . or else! My husband will give instructions, make inspections, settle arguments, and a variety of other mom-handle-its in at least 180 different moments just with Zachary alone, while I drive my rental between Napa, Merced, Modesto, Sacramento, and possibly a few other small towns and locations.
I, on the other hand, will sleep roughly 112 hours with my head on unfamiliar pillows. Via airplane, 4,000+ would be added to my Southwest miles account if I had one. My mid-size car will log over 1,000 miles when it's all said and done. I'll miss 5 hours of fellowship at Church at Cross Point. If I am able to visit with Brother Gary at least 6 days out of my 16 days of actual visiting time, we will have shared a minimum of 31 hours together! There's the promise of 30 hugs or more from my nieces and nephews; a solid 3 to 5 embraces from my Grandma Opal; hopefully, a careful and tender 1 or 2 hugs for my Aunt Edyne. And, I've not even factored in those from sister-in-law, Dixie, and Brother John (who is a great hugger) . . . not to mention the various relatives I'm sure to run into as I make my presence known in the San Joaquin Valley area. Why, the numbers are to confounding to relay!
In other numerical circles, I feel certain 18 will continue to be the count for blog entries. There is a hope brewing within me concerning the number 5,000 -- which I'm pulling out of the proverbial hat -- and the words I'd like to add to my book project. I'm open to much more. Perhaps with the aid of 1 atmospheric coffee shop and 2 or 3 handcrafted house beverages, I can build on that count. Oh, and utilizing that simple 1 yet one more time, how about 1 tour of a winery/vineyard in the renowned Napa Valley?
18 days. 27,823 minutes. 1,134 push-ups. Something less than the standard 3 miles a day but more than nothing, but including an undetermined number of laps in the Sweigard pool every chance I get. Knowing me, 180+ Facebook status posts. And, the never ending bowl of allowable phone calls to and from my little family back in Middle Tennessee.
And, then I promise I will full-circle my way back to 2709 . . . the digits on my home sweet home! Be ready to bump up my hug numbers, family! 
Just one question... Are all these numbers divisible by 3? You be safe out there my friend!
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