A Break

I was care-free and independent last weekend. For the first time since my first child was born, I left my kids for more than a couple of hours. I flew 2000 miles away to St. Louis, Missouri, to visit with my parents and sisters.

I didn’t know what to expect when I left. My one-year-old Lance may be outgoing, but if someone other than mommy or daddy picks him up he cries his little heart out. My daughter is doing better with other adults, but she has been struggling with some other 3-year-old issues such as toilet training.

When this opportunity came to join my sisters in a trip without kids, I knew it was exactly what I wanted—even needed. Unfortunately, my husband discovered he was needed at work, and it didn’t look like it would work out. My reaction to the disappointment surprised even me: I felt crushed! Somehow I needed this trip even more than I had realized.

The answer came from Grandma, my husband’s mom. She generously rearranged her schedule to watch the kids so that I could go. (Hurray for Grandma!) All I had to do was have a good time, and not worry too much about the kids.

It was easy to relax and enjoy myself because every time I called them, the kids were happy and content. They were having such a good time, in fact, that I began to wonder if they missed me at all! But it really was a blessing, and I was able to get the much needed break.

I confess that I did not eat the best. But I am back home, back on track, and feeling oh-so-refreshed. My healthy goals are easier to shoot for than ever. Sometimes a time away is just what we need to continue the sometimes laborious path of being successful.