Let's Have a Moment

FOR VACATION

Yesterday morning as I sat on my couch at four thirty in the morning, clutching my coffee cup like it was going to save me, I felt...well, a bit melancholy.  It was time to get back to the daily grind.  It's not that I don't love my job, because seriously I do, but there is something so wonderfully freeing about having a week and some change off in the middle of the winter.  I realize that sounds odd, but when we have time off in the summer, I find myself cramming and cramming and cramming as much in as I possibly can.  I suppose this is partly due to the fact that here in ND our summers are so fleeting,  I feel like I need to be out.in.it.all.the.time.doing.something.  So, to have some time off in the middle of winter, when it feels like you are given a free pass to actually grab a quilt and just lay around, is a gift.

Even with the free pass, relaxing still didn't come easy to me, but I did manage to watch this movie.  Really, it reminded me of this day and that was probably better than the movie if I'm going to be honest.  Overall though, it was worth the time. 

I won't mention anything about the part where I made my friend sit and wait while I did some checking to ensure my house was clean because Lord knows there was no way I was going to make it through an entire movie if I thought there might be something that needed a little fixin'.  Which brings me to a little resolution of mine for this new year.

Learn to let some things go.

I'm a control freak by nature and I know that will never leave my side completely, but I'm going to try to pull back.  A little bit.  Step number one in this is to not clean my hardwood floors everyday.  I'm going to try to do every other day.  So far, so good.   

The weather, for the most part, was A-to-the-okay during this time off.  In fact, it was even sunny some days.  I ran outside a handful of times and that was by far the most rejuvenating part of my vacation.  I do love me a run outside.  Treadmills drive me batty.  Straight up batty.  I ended up visiting the batty maker because it did get really cold the last couple of days.  On one of those cold days, I was driving out to the farm when I pulled the car over and had to take in a moment of the nothingness of winter here.  It was four below zero with a wind chill of thirty below.  My fingers froze.  I couldn't even see what I was taking a picture of because of the bright sun and reflecting snow.  My camera lens froze.  But, it was worth it. 

I don't get out to my parents' house very often during the school year.  It's just hard to find the time to make the trek out there.  It's not that I don't see them, I do.  But, it's not usually at the farm.  HOME.  There is nothing more comforting that being in the place you grew up with the warm glow of the fire and the Christmas lights flickering while you sit and visit and just be.  Vacation allowed me the time to make that trip a few times and I soaked up as much of that place as I could.  My three favorite little people have been not feeling so hot since the big holiday festivities which means they will have to get smushed soon because I missed not having them running around that coffee table.      

I also fit in a couple lunches with people I love, some wine drinking sessions with people I love, and shopping with people I love.  Even some wedding dress shopping with my cousin...wedding dress shopping with a margarita break.  Doesn't that sound like a perfect way to spend a vacation afternoon?  Yes indeedy.  None of these are her dress; I would never spoil a surprise like that! 

  

Then, the rest of the time, I just did whatever I wanted to do.  Well, that's a lie.  I had a dentist apppointment, an eye doctor appointment, and a hair cut.  Basically a good tune up.  But, there was still time to do some sewing, crafting, visiting, game playing...whatever and that's a beautiful thing.  That's why it's important to have a moment for vacation.  It's so good.  So, so good.  And, this morning when I was sitting on my couch a few minutes ago clutching my cup of coffee like it was going to save me, I felt happy.  Happy to be back to the daily grind knowing I have the last week and a bit tucked into my pocket of memories.