Recently, I headed off for a girl’s weekend with some of my dear girlfriends. We didn’t venture too far, just about an hour’s drive away, but it felt as though we had changed continents. As we covered the miles on 495 North, we sang along to burned CDs dug out from our high school days. You could feel all of our mom stresses slowly melting away.
Pulling up to our home away from home for the night, the energy in the car was obvious. We were all ready for some good food, a few drinks, and fulfilling conversation. The weekend was simple, nothing extravagant, but it was just right.
The Highlights
- We drove the whole way there and no one asked for a potty break.
- We enjoyed a hike (okay, nature walk) and no one asked us to carry 12 sticks, 3 acorns, and 9 rocks.
- We ate out at a restaurant and no one spilled anything! (Okay, we spilled one water glass but we were all cleaned up within seconds!)
- We ate actual food, no random discarded, scraps rejected from someone who said their banana was peeled wrong.
- We got ready for bed and everyone brushed their teeth without a battle.
- We carried cute, small purses instead of be-ready-for-anything diaper bags.
- We spoke in uninterrupted complete sentences and actually got to hear how each other’s lives were going.
- We drank coffee the next morning that was piping hot and not reheated in the microwave three times.
Feeling Reset
Not only was it wonderful to spend time with friends in the moment, it was also an amazing parenting reset. You know how you unplug an electronic device that isn’t working quite right, give it five minutes, then plug it back in, with the hope of it working again? Well, this was our own personal parenting unplug. By the next afternoon, we were all feeling rested, refreshed, and ready to head home.
Once I got back home the next day from my girl’s weekend, I was really missing the kiddos. I felt ready to jump back into the world of “mom-ing”. I was welcomed by sticky fingers offering the edges of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And we all took a walk where I happily carried found treasures of leaves, sticks, and rocks. We turned back after quickly though when someone needed a potty break. It was good to be home.
