I was nervous to take on a dream role 2 states away for 3 weeks. My husband and son fully supported my decision.

The author left home for three weeks to take on a dream role in a theater production. Courtesy of Tonilyn Hornung I've always loved theater, but acting took a backseat when I became a parent. However, my son is now 12, and I felt comfortable auditioning for roles that weren't too far away. When I was cast in a show two states away, I was nervous about leaving home for three weeks. "I miss him so much," I sobbed into the phone. "I don't know if I can do this." I was surprised my sister could understand me through the tears, but she'd always been good at decoding my words — and what was behind them. I'd been away from home for less than 48 hours, and I missed my 12-year-old son so fiercely that I wasn't sure I could handle the distance for three full weeks.