I'm a very lucky lady.
I had the luck and the loving support of my family to take a trip out east this last week to be at a friend's wedding. It was a chance for me to see friends I hadn't seen in five and ten years, a chance to witness two people I adore get married, get my arm marathon-tattooed in to the wee hours by my dear friend in Toronto, stay up late, eat whenever I wanted to, stay in hotels, travel alone, knit and read uninterrupted, do some actual writing (!!) and generally get a good healthy dose of freedom and independence... something that doesn't come around too often when you are a parent of young children. It was a weekend of total indulgence, many hugs and tears, and a whole lot of love.
Getting the chance to get away and solo trip is something I would encourage any parent to do. That independence that comes along with choosing what you want to do and when you want to is something that we forget about when our lives are almost always about taking care of the needs of one, two, three or more lovelies in our lives. I cherish the moments that I can sit and knit or talk uninterrupted over a table with friends. And knowing that my three favorite people are back home doing a fantastic job of getting along without me, having fun and (somewhat) keeping the house in one piece gives me the confidence that I can go out and be my own person feeling loved and supported and encouraged by the ones who need me the most. I feel fantastic.
When I left the sun was shining and we were picking pumpkins in our tshirts... funny what five days in fall can do... the colors are truly autumn now that I'm back:
While I was away Gabe made me this awesome new coffee shelf over our espresso cabinet:
The kitchen table is still in the living room from Thanksgiving, but we kind of like it there:
My home feels cozy and ready for winter. Best of all, I'm home with my family...
Who make the best part of going away the part when you come home.
