My dad called yesterday. Between Maddie’s screaming for “clicky shoes” and rescuing Christian from dangling off of the stove, I heard him say “So, do you feel refreshed?”.
Um, no. I realized last week that mom’s don’t get vacations. At least not while their kids are this little. I don’t mean that as a complaint but the option of sleeping in, taking numerous naps, lounging around and totally forsaking schedules just can’t happen right now in my life.
Dustin spent the first three days of vacation asleep. Literally. He would wake up for food and that was about it. Day four of sleeping man-beauty resulted in a very bitter and pissy Mary. I was tired of being the one to get up from every nap to take care of the kids. I was tired of working harder on vacation than I do at home. I was … just tired. We got into a fight and both pouted for two days. Once that was over, I realized that vacation really only means a change of scenery. With that understanding I was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the time.
We did get a chance to take advantage of his parents offer to watch the kids and snuck away to a cabin in Utah for an afternoon and a night. Now that was vacation! Even though Dustin slept the whole time there too, I had the porch and outdoors to relax in and read. I was amazed that I found myself in a sweater on the deck in the middle of August! It was 62 degrees at 7pm! Awesome!
The best part of the past week was my mother in law. Over the past year we have really grown close. When Dustin and I had our “time out” last summer I was forced to become super vulnerable with her (since I had left with the kids for her house). I feel like we bonded that summer and became not only adopted family but true friends.
This past week I got to hang out with her in her amazing garden and just absorb her infinite wisdom about all things flowery and shrub like. When she had to go to work at the Garden center she owns and runs, the kids and I would walk down to see her and help water the plants just so we could get more grandma time in. I really am so thankful to have such an amazing mother in law and I’m so glad that the normal in law issues aren’t issues for us at all. Or maybe they are, but she’s just so amazing she doesn’t let it show 
4 Comments
Too true, vacation now really is the usual…just somewhere else. Hope you get a little break sometime soon. We do need that now and then
Vacations always make me feel like I need a week afterwards to recover from the vacation! That’s so great that your MIL is so great. I have issues with mine but I wish I had that close relationship! Glad you got one night away from the kids
I LOVE vacation! I always feel more refreshed afterward. You should have made him take turns with you sleeping in…that’s what we do. Everyone deserves to get a little extra sleep on holiday.
so glad that you are back… even when the kids are older (well at least 6 8 and 10, vacation is still a change in scenery… they are a bit less scheduled, but certainly not sleeping in, and typically on vacations I can’t send them out to ride bikes or play on the swingset that is in our backyard, so there are different challenges as they get older… Sorry to break the bad news