This past weekend my husband took our two older boys on a ski vacation.They left Wednesday and didn’t come home until Sunday. We decided I would stay home with our two younger boys. When you have 4 kids in 11 years you spend a lot of time dividing and conquering, whether it’s for the fun of the group or logistics. There are things we want our older boys to experience, but when it’s something not suitable for a one year old, we divide up the troops. It’s not always ideal for the one who stays home (ME!), but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make so our kids get to have some amazing experiences.
I chose the word sacrifice above because that is what I thought this weekend was for me. I was hesitant about staying home for the five days with my two youngest and viewed it as “taking one for the team” so the big kids could enjoy a ski trip with their cousins. I considered tagging along on the ski trip and finding things to entertain us during the day while the big guys skied. I thought about spending $600 to fly to Arizona to visit my folks and get some sunshine. Frankly, I just didn’t want to stay home. In the end, that’s what I did in hopes of saving money, and I figured I would find some blessings in being home with our younger two kids. Our 6 year old, Louis, has regressed in some ways this year, so I decided maybe some good ole’ QT with mama was needed.
I went into the weekend feeling pretty fatigued with life and imagined I would be even more exhausted Sunday night when they got home. But, I decided to go “all in” with the weekend and make the best of the situation. I rounded up all the gift cards lying around the house and took the boys to SkyZone, Barnes and Noble, Panera, and swimming throughout our 5 days together. Lou picked what I made them for dinner each night, along with the movies for our evening cuddle time. I also let him sleep with me each night which is his favorite thing. I was able to say “Yes!” more often than the usual “No, we don’t have time/money/ability to do that right now.” We snuggled, colored, read books, cooked, and just hung out together. Wes, my one year old, loved the quiet house and was exceptionally enjoyable to be around. My little boys had so much fun picking their favorite things to do for a few days instead of chasing the big brothers to all their activities. By the time Saturday night hit, I couldn’t believe how relaxed I felt and what a restorative weekend it was. Turns out that some good ole’ QT is what this mama’s heart needed, too.
We are often inclined to fill our schedules, go all the places, and do all the things because we think we need to, should, or deserve to do them. We see other people’s experiences on social media and tell ourselves we need to be doing it all, as well. I was so close to booking plane tickets for a 48 hour getaway that albeit would have been nice, but also filled with the stressful moments that inevitably come from traveling with a 1 year old. Instead, I chose rest with my babes. I was able to focus on them and get as much as possible out of our time together.
I am embarking on a greater period of rest and I invite you to come with me. Yesterday marked the beginning of Lent, which for Christians is a six week preparation period leading up to Easter. I appreciate this time of year because it is a time when I like to reflect about the value of less being more and the value of rest. If you feel led, no matter what your religious affiliation is, you can join me in making the next 40 days a period of rest for you. During this time I am going to slow down, limit distractions and my To-Do’s, be intentional with my time, lean into the people who matter most to me, and spend more time in prayer. I am going to find opportunities and people to intentionally serve wholeheartedly. Simply put, I am going to listen to my heart and find connection with my loved ones. If this resonates with you and you want to come along for rest and connection, I am thankful in knowing we will be on this journey together. Come walk (rest) with me, sister.
