I just returned from a 48 hour getaway with my husband, a getaway that was long overdue as it had been over two years since we jetted off together. This 48 hour getaway took weeks of planning, a number of incredibly helpful friends and family members (you know who you are and thank you from the bottom of my heart), and several pep talks about why it was not only ok but actually good for us to leave.

I don’t leave well. It’s hard for me to be away from my babies even though I desperately wanted and knew I needed a break. Still I wanted to power through. Sure my tank was approaching empty, but I was supermom. Except I’m not. No one can run on empty. Not even me.

After tearful goodbyes (mine not theirs), last minute phone calls with helpful hints and instructions, and the many to-do lists all crossed off, I left. I jumped on a plane and met my husband in the mountains of Colorado. There is nothing like the mountains to remind us of how small we are, and for me there is nothing more centering than their majestic silence.

It’s in that silence that I reconnected with myself and with my husband. We finished conversations and hot cups of coffee. We made plans to have no plans. We read, rested, and recharged. We wandered around. We held hands. We drank wine. We laughed. We paid attention to each other remembering why we had ever chosen this path together in the first place.

And you know what I learned? I learned that I really do love our little life. Sure it’s busy, stressful at times, and full of little people who have constant needs, but it’s mine, it’s ours, and I love it. I don’t think that kind of appreciation can come unless you truly step away. I don’t think you can fully appreciate something unless given the opportunity to miss it, and I did.

I’m so grateful to the village who came together to make those 48 hours possible and grateful for those who pushed me to make sure it happened. I’m grateful for the opportunity to reflect on my life, to miss it, and now to return to it with open arms and an even deeper love.

Find the joy-
Jessica

Jessica McCauley, M.Ed. is a parenting coach/consultant. She draws on her background as a Montessori educator and Child Life Specialist to help families navigate the challenges of the early childhood years. Contact Jessica at http://smallhandsbigsteps.com/contact/ for more information or to schedule a consultation.