That's a Wrap

I like to have little built-in breaks throughout my day.  Break time can be used to 1) shower, 2) use the computer, 3) sew, or 4) read.  Never cleaning.  Unless there's company coming.  Anytime Honey is strapped into the highchair, there's a break in the making.  My early-morning run it's just me and a friend.  No kids ... score!  Lunchtime is a good one, because both Little C and Honey are typically occupied.  I can get a good 5 minutes of interrupted Internet-cruising time.  And nap time/quiet time is the best!  That's a good 25 minutes there (oddly the length of one children's show on Nick Jr.) of time to myself, before Little C comes a calling with some request ("I want K to come play," "I want some taffies," "I'm hungry").

But last weekend I got the mother of all breaks.  A Mother's Day Break to be exact.  A full weekend alone.  Just me.  No kids, heaven love them.  No DH, heaven and I love him.  No house to clean.  There were no diapers to change.  No bed times to consider.  No mouths to feed.  Just me.  For the first time since I was pregnant with Little C (5 years ago mind you) on my own.

I drove to Utah to attend a couple of family weddings and just chill.  I didn't tell anyone I was coming, and I had no particular plans.  My whole plan was to not have a plan.  It worked out great.  Even the down times, when I might have gotten bored in a previous life, were nice.  I had books on a tape to listen to and a quiet van to enjoy them in.  I woke up early and exercised for as long as I liked.  I ate dinner at 8 p.m.  And I skipped meals on the run without a second thought.

It was glorious.  But it was kind of like giving a fat person a lick of the beater and then telling her that she couldn't eat another cake for 5 years.  Did I miss my family?  Of course.  A little bit.  Once or twice.  But not enough to drive me home early.  I missed my freedom even more and it was sweet to just be.  And coming home was even sweeter.  The appreciation on their faces to see me was fuel to get back into the motherhood.  I've decided that I need to build a little more of that quiet time into my life now.  And that I definitely can't let another 5 years go without taking a break.

Now I just need somewhere to go ...