Family Times

Driving home from a Birthday Tea party with Elaina I thought,"we should go to the beach and play hooky from church tomorrow." I dismissed the thought as it was getting to be afternoon and it's the bugs' favorite Sunday School teacher month. They hate to miss.

After Lain and I had been home for awhile Allan came up to me and said, "we should just play hooky tomorrow and go to the beach." I told him I thought the same thing. So after a couple phone calls, a gazillion questions, and wild screams of excitement, here we are. Bugs are all tucked in a queen size bed while we relax and listen to the waves crash and the live band express themselves.

I can't tell you how many times we have wanted to make a hasty jaunt and for some reason or another decided that we can't, shouldn't, don't feel like it. Why?

The nice thing is that the girls are really transportable now. Not much gear is required. Not too much schedule adjustment and we are off. It is nice. A perk really. I see other moms with that dazed look that only happens while we are in the thick of it (baby, toddler, young preschooler phase). I realize that I am the mom that is coming out of the thick into the more relaxed (I am using the term loosely here) phase. I do like how much easier it's becoming. I remember that is why we were thinking against another baby. Now it's oxymoronic.

We are enjoying coming out of the "thick" and into the "thin" of parenting. We have a size family that we intended. But there is always that twinge in the back on my mind and in the center of my heart. I should be in the thick of it. I should be more tied down. Then again I don't know if "Should" is the correct word. If I should be that way, I would be that way. That is not what God intended for our family.

Last time we were here I was pregnant with Ava. We talked about all the adjustments we would have to make should we come down to the beach for a week as a family of 6. We are here for a night as a family of 5. Because it was a spontaneous trip I didn't get a chance to think about all the "what if's" and "we don't get to's" that I would have otherwise. That's a good thing. We're here to relax and have fun as a family without the pressure of the memories. They are there and we all feel them. Yet they haven't been a dark cloud on our getaway. I am so grateful that we get to do this in the "thin" and treasure or sweet babies who are not with us at the same time.