How a Weekend Can Save Your Brain.

Okay so you know how I flew to MD last minute? Well, I flew to MD last minute! This might not dazzle your mind or anything but I just don't do things like that. For one it seems like you have to have a lot of money to do that sort of thing. I still remember a friend from college telling me that her family just decided to fly to Disney World for a long weekend. That totally blew my mind because when we plan trips to Disney World they're like two or more years in the making. Any way so that seems like a rich person, or emergency thing to do. Second I'm sort of a planned out, routine kind of person, and I have kids. I mean everything with kids takes planning, and so many suitcases.

This is my cuter then cute nephew. He doesn't care
for me or any one that is not my mom.

So I was talking to my mom and sister on the phone and that evening I had a plane ticket and was busily working on an overnight bag so I wouldn't have to check any bags. Crazy! It was so much fun doing something like that.  Flying with out children is amazing. The only thing I wish that I'd done differently was taking my computer with me so I could blog on the plane. It's so easy to take off one pair of shoes and get zapped by the naked picture thing when it's just me (by the way does that thing make anyone else feel like they have to wear matching underwear through security?). Making my way to the plane, going to the bathroom before we boarded and flying was so easy with just me!

It was only two full days but it was so rejuvenating. My mom and sisters and I went to this thing called "Repurposed and Refined" it's sort of like a once-a-month thing where people come with vintage and antique items that have been refurbished and it's set up so pretty and cute. They had cookies and coffee and the prices were really good. I got several pictures of flora and birds for when i re-do my room (wait until I tell you about that).

The thing she's holding says "sweet sisters"

Repurposed and Refined.

We ate at cute sandwich shops, and went junking (where I tried on some diamond rings what fun!). And of course had a dress up dinner at a nice Thai place for my youngest sisters 25th birthday (we're really really all close in age). We came home opened presents, gorged ourselves on brownies and ice cream (soy for her and me). It was fabulous!!!

I love my children so much. They bless my heart daily but having a couple days to myself, to sleep in and not be woken up once or twice in the night, was heavenly. It was so refreshing and when I came home I was so much more calm and patient then I had been when I left. I think it's okay to admit that we need a break now and then. I think it's okay that we be reminded that we're more then just moms. Oh what a blessing that my husband watched them all alone for the weekend. What a blessing that I have sisters and parents that I want to spend time with. What a blessing two full days can be.

Somehow I got a ton of pics of
Heather and hardly any of Courtney.
That's a shame as Court has a baby bump.

That dress is vintage and fits her amazing!
How annoying.

On Flying To MD.

I have never lived in Maryland. My parents moved there a while after Brian and I were married. So explain to me why it is when I was flying over (mountains?) and cities and countryside, making my way to where my parents and sisters live, I felt like I was flying home?

It's not to say that my little green house in Michigan doesn't feel like home because it does. It's my house with my clutter, and my dog and my husband and my children. My house doesn't smell (why is it all other homes have some sort of odor, not bad necessarily, except our own?) it definitely feels like home (in fact I've never lived anywhere as long as I've lived here). But my parent's house still feels like home I don't understand it.  It almost feels like a different kind of "home".

Maybe it's because I'm not in charge there. I get tired of having to make sure people are bathed and in bed. I get tired of being in charge of clean socks, and what's for dinner, and bed times. It makes my brain tired. When I go to mom and dad's I don't have to be in charge of anything; I'm just along for the ride. I mean I make my bed and clean up my dishes and try to do my share of the laundry but it's just different somehow.

Maybe it's because it smells and looks like my home from my childhood. No matter where we've lived our house smelled good. No matter where we lived our house was always pretty and cozy on the inside.

Maybe it's because my parents are there and my sisters. That's where we laugh and talk and laugh and cry but mostly laugh. It's where we walk down memory lane and look at old pictures and eat until we're stuffed. It's the place where we're most likely to all be together.

Maybe it's a combination of those things. What I know for sure is it feels good to be able to go home.