weekend retreats

So I just got back from spending a wonderful weekend away with just my family. Hilary took us up to her cabin near Gaylord for a relaxing respite from life. It was three of the most wonderful days of my year. The most beautiful part of the whole weekend was that we all decided that we didn't want to go back yet. We wanted to stay just as long as we could. Laundry could wait. Sleep could wait. Life could wait. But isn't this what LIFE is about? I really meditated on that while away for the weekend. Not that life is supposed to be spent in solitude or silence or out in the middle of nowhere. But that Life is meant to be experienced not dreaded or looked over or neglected. I felt like this weekend was a special gift for my family as we continue to grow and morph into the next element that "God" has for us.
I saw my husband bond with our daughter and play with her and interact with her in ways that life doesn't allow both of us to experience simultaneously because of work, etc. I saw my dear friend bond with my daughter in ways that will likely take them through their whole lives...it was beautiful.
The other beautiful thing about this "retreat" was the double seat er outhouse we called relief all weekend. the cabin doesn't have indoor plumbing so they have a couple holes with toilet seat covers and some plywood around it. it's back in the woods a piece so really quite private. I forgot what it was like to do your business where it was quite, no little fingers poking under the door yelling, "mama!" no husbands barging in looking for their deodorant. It was sacred. I found myself wanting to go out there just to pee instead of relieving myself in closer proximity to the cabin like I typically would have before having a child.
And lets not forget the 10 consecutive games of Settlers of Catan we enjoyed all too much. The only conflict I saw for myself was that my potty mouth came ROARING out during the games. Well, not so much the first one, but by the 10th one you would have thought we were all sailors. get it? Cuz we were all cussin' so much? Well, I thought it was a little funny.
Monday came and was a RUDE awakening to us all. Me with the harsh realities of bills come due, money come spent, and laundry piling up to the ceiling! Not to mention the harsh realities of third shift for my husband. Poor thing. we made it through though and Tuesday has proven to be MUCH BETTER.
Peace.