Friday, January 24, 2014

hermit


Coming down from our winter tour as well as a recent Girls' weekend has been an adjustment.   This week we were blessed with 'snow' days and late days and many sleep late days.  
I feel like a slug.
The bathrooms need to be cleaned.      Not to mention that I just remembered that the Christmas tree is still decorated in the basement.     (The secret hopes that Lucas will take down the tree as easily as he put it up are dispelling.)
This week there have been moments in which I felt like a hermit.  Bedded down at night watching countless episodes on Netflix.  And when the episodes ran out I somehow managed to rediscover my old addiction to Facebook Scrabble and a new addiction to lego brick candy.
Hermit indeed.
I'll blame the weather.   for now.

The past month or so I have had a lack of  'committed' activities.   No life group, no ladies night, no widows group, no weekly agenda.  
And I realize that I LOVE it.

I have always been so busy planning activities and events that I am just now realizing how freeing it is to not be committed to so many people.
I know that  I thrive around people.   I have to have companionship.  I've always surrounded myself with people.
But the last month has been different somehow.    I've been around a TON of people... but not in a serious scheduled manner.
Is that the key?  Living on the fly?  being a free agent?

I've tasted a bit of what it's like to not be 'in charge' of activity.   I so often feel  like I'm holding the group together.... or always initiating activity with others.
And I'm slowly realizing that it is exhausting!
I'm learning to say 'no' and I'm slowly stepping back from responsibilities that I used to deem necessary.
I'm praying that I can continue to maintain those free calendar squares and be able to live in the moment more often.
I'm trying to convince myself to nurture the relationships that are important to me.  Because honestly, everything else is wasted energy.

Lord, help me to focus on my kids, my family and my friendships this year.    I pray that everything falls into place, according to your plans for us.  
And it would be kinda nice if I could go on a date this year too.  Amen.
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Friday, January 03, 2014

the tour

On New year's eve, my friend Kim said, "This is going to be our year!"
And by golly, I'm claiming that!  
This is going to be MY year!
I am asking for big things... and I am going to expect big things!

We just landed back in reality after finishing up an awesome 'visiting tour' with friends.    The official Botham tour started last Saturday in Fredericksburg.   We visited one of my best friends and her family.    Her two kids entertained us and we enjoyed eating pizza, hanging out, shopping at Target and enjoying late night frozen yogurt.

We departed Fredericksburg and drove through cold nasty rain on I-95 to descend upon another favorite friend in Leesburg.   She was sans kids for the evening... so she and I did a lot of catching up while my kids played video games.   We went out for Mexican and then returned to watch Despicable Me 2.
We woke early on Monday morning and hit the road.

Our next stop was IKEA!!  We had the specific goal to pick out a dresser and night stand for each boy.    I figured that we would have room in the car for nightstands... but would probably need to ship the dressers.   We found the perfect furniture, and much to my ecstatic surprise... it ALL fit into our car!   This was the major accomplishment of our entire trip.   I am so proud.

Leaving IKEA we headed south to visit another life-long friend and her crazy boys, in Glen Allen.   Our four boys get together and cause a lot of chaos.  We always have a blast with them.   I feel like her home is my home-away-from- home.    We spent Monday and Tuesday with these folks and their friends.   On New Year's Eve we took the boys to Jumpology during the day and stayed up late to ring in the New Year.  Really late... like 1:30am!   If I recall.... the boys were outside on the trampoline shortly after midnight.   whew!

We slept in on New Year's day and slowly made our way to visit some of my absolute favorite people on the planet, who happen to live in  Ruckersville.    I spent part of the afternoon learning a new card game while the boys hung out.    We enjoyed a dinner with one of their friends.... a very nice man that they have been wanting me to meet.    swoon.   We hung out and played cards until it was time for the boys and I to move along.

We arrived later than planned, in Charlottesville, at the home of a wonderful couple that had traveled to Africa with me.   They are precious people with a 20 month old son.    My boys were quick to get to bed and I stayed up and chatted with my friends until almost 2am!    Thursday morning we awoke to a huge homemade breakfast of banana pancakes, sausage links, cheesy eggs and fresh fruit.     A bed and breakfast indeed!

Before heading home we visited with some of my other favorite people in Charlottesville.   It was so  nice to catch up with my friend and her daughter while the other family members were busy getting ready to host a concert in their basement!  I am always in awe at how cool their family is!

The boys and I finally headed home on Thursday afternoon.   The past six days had been a blast!   I would love to do something like this every year!  However... upon mentioning our 'tour'.... Lucas added, "it's the first and the last".   haha.
Those boys were ready to get home.   Thankfully we have a few days to recover before we get back to the grind of school and work.
I am so very thankful for my friends who opened their homes to us!  It was such a blessing to spend time with each of them!





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