Some weeks are about the routine.
And some weeks completely break the routine.
This was definitely one of those weeks.
Monday started normally enough. Jasper went to daycare, my partner and I went to work, and life followed the usual rhythm.
Tuesday brought swimming lessons, which have become one of those little parts of our week that I really look forward to. Watching Jasper continue to get more comfortable in the water is still amazing. Every lesson seems to bring another little bit of progress.
Wednesday was back to the usual school-and-work routine.
Then Thursday changed everything.
Jasper had a half day at daycare, and by the afternoon, my partner and I were on our way to the airport.
We were headed to England.
For the first time in a while, we were leaving Jasper behind.
Not because we wanted a break from him — quite the opposite. Leaving him was probably the hardest part of the trip.
But Nani and Nanu were staying with him in Ohio, and knowing he was with two people who love him so much made getting on that plane a little easier.
Still, there is something strange about traveling without your two-year-old when you’re so used to doing everything with him.
Friday morning brought us to Manchester.
From there, we made our way to Birmingham to visit my partner’s cousin and meet Jasper’s newborn second cousin.
It was one of those family moments that makes a long trip feel worthwhile.
A new baby.
Family we don’t get to see often enough.
And the reminder that our family continues to grow even when we’re separated by oceans and continents.
We spent the night in Birmingham before beginning our slow trip back toward South Manchester on Saturday.
Our destination?
Etihad Stadium.
Sunday was probably the most packed day of the entire trip.
We spent the day at a Manchester City match before heading to a concert that night to see Diljit Dosanjh.
Football during the day.
Punjabi music at night.
It was a pretty incredible combination.
For my partner, especially, there was something really special about being in England and then experiencing a Punjabi artist on such a massive stage.
For me, it was simply one of those days where you look around and think, How did we end up doing all of this in one day?
Monday brought another move.
We headed to London, where I got us checked into the hotel while my partner headed off to The Shard for work.
She had a presentation to give, which felt like a pretty fitting reminder that even on a trip together, her career doesn’t stop.
Tuesday was the long journey home.
Airports.
Planes.
Time zones.
And eventually Ohio.
And, most importantly, Jasper.
After a week of travel, football, concerts, family, and work, I was ready to get back to the part of the trip that mattered most.
Being Dad again.
This trip was a reminder that life can hold a lot of different things at the same time.
We can be parents who miss our son terribly while we’re away.
We can be partners exploring another country together.
We can visit family.
We can experience incredible events.
We can support each other’s careers.
And then we can come home and be completely happy to return to the normal Tuesday night routine.
The big adventure was England.
But the part I was looking forward to most was coming home to Jasper.
Sometimes you need the big trip to appreciate the little routine waiting for you at home.