Posted in On Being a Wife and Mother

The boys have left.  Last Friday evening, as a matter a fact.  They are gone until this Sunday with my parents for their annual trek to parts northward.  The school year was wrapped up last Thursday, and I can not convey to you all the deep sense of relief, bordering on outright hysteria, that I feel in having that school year behind us.  Now we have five weeks until the next one begins, and I'm eagerly sitting down this week to plan, chart, order, and tweak. 

I'll admit, however, that it's been a long couple of months.  During my sabbatical from blogging, while I was (and still am) attempting some changes in myself, I truly have felt as though I have been walking the line between sanity and insanity, and that the line narrowed a little more each and every day.  I knew I needed this week of no children badly.  Not for the projects I will check off (and there are multitudes of them), but for the time to live in my head interruption-free.  You all know what I mean.  I have been longing for a different..... something, and I'd sure love to know what it is.  To find that out, I need time in my head.

So, Saturday morning mo chroi and I wake up, and I wander downstairs to the living room with my book.  He putzes along after me, grabs the paper from the drive, and sits down opposite me.  We read in companionable silence for a short time before I looked up and said that we should decide what we're doing for the day before the day's gone.  I suggested taking a drive north to cooler termperatures (have I told you lately how much I detest the heat?), or making a list of the errands to do.  He decided on the drive north (at the time, I didn't have a preference either way, but the drive sounded more romantic :).  Then, he casually suggested I check the hotels to our particular destination online before we go, and maybe we should think about making a weekend out of it.  !!!  I ran upstairs before he could change his mind and began looking at accommodations. 

I have always, *always*, wanted to stay in a Bed & Breakfast, so I looked those up first.  He was less thrilled with the idea than I, but knowing how much I'd always hoped to go to one and how difficult that can be with children, he graciously agreed (especially after seeing that the local hotel chains cost just as much as the B&B ~ before you think he's perfect, lol! :).  We showered, packed, laid out provisions for the mutt, and off we went.  While he was fueling up I called and made our reservation, and off we went! 

We arrived after a beautiful three hour drive, and were met at the door of this charming B&B by a warm and genuinely welcoming hostess.  Our room was *perfect*, down to the fireplace in the room.  Our hostess told us of a lovely .3 mile walk to a beautiful scenic vista, and we walked it both Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday's hike found us sitting on a boulder overlooking the most amazing view, out of earshot of the highway with only the scream of the hawks surfing the wind and the incoming grumble of the storm for company.  We sat on that boulder and were at peace.  It was the first time in too long.  My emotions were right at the top, and we sat there for well over an hour, staring at the endless view and talking about dreams, opportunities, and what is right and good for our little family.  We didn't solve the world's problems, but we found each other again, and left with lighter hearts, and souls that were soaring with the angels. 

We had hoped for anything other than the perpetual sunny skies we were tired of, and that evening as we dined at a fabulous Italian restaurant in town we were rewarded with a lovely, gentle thunderstorm.  We hied it back to the B&B, and sat and played cribbage in the chairs by the fire in our room for the evening, with the window open and the sound of rain and the storm cocooning us.  We had a beautiful and delicious breakfast Sunday morning, and reluctantly checked out. 

To say that this past weekend was desperately needed is a huge understatement.  We talked from the moment we left to the drive home, when we were spent, and sat in contented silence for the rest of the weekend.  We agreed we don't take enough time for each other, and need to put it as a priority in future.  I beg all of you, whether you think you need it or not, to spend some time with your love.  Your marriage, your future, your soul deserve it.

I'll leave you for now with a picture of our romantic hidey-hole that we're planning on escaping back to in January, for our *15th* wedding anniversary.  Mo Chroi was sold on the B&B option for future travels, and we will look at them first in future. :) Have a wonderful week!!