Our family just spent an amazing week in the tropical paradise of the Turks & Caicos Islands. We left the freezing temperatures of the Midwest and basked in eighty-five degrees every day, with crisp blue skies and bright turquoise waters that appear on postcards. We escaped the crazy rat race of a very busy schedule and we were able to sit, uninterrupted, for hours at a time with the biggest decision-making of the day being where to eat our next meal. There were 21 different restaurants and eating establishments so this proved to be a tricky decision several times each day. We were also faced with making the difficult decision of whether to head to the sandy beaches or to find a lounge chair near the edge of one of the many pools. Such a tough week!
For those of you who know me very well, you know that I don’t sit still very long (or very well). Our crazy schedule as of late, has just amplified the fact that if I sit down without anything to do, I will fall asleep within minutes from exhaustion. We’re just always on the go. This past week, all I did was sit. And eat. And play in the warm Caribbean waters with our family. I had high hopes of being so inspired that I’d whip out 20 new blog post ideas over the week. Instead, I read a no-brainer Christian fiction book and I relaxed the entire week! David treated me to two different massage appointments at the resort spa. I had a pedicure. We snorkeled and swam. And did I mention that we ate? There were several times, that David would see me just sitting on my chair, gazing at nothing in particular and he’d ask me if I was ok… He was worried that I was going crazy or getting antsy because I didn’t have anything to do. I assured him, time and again, that I was perfectly content.
This past week was exactly what I needed. I needed relaxation and rest. I know I can do that at home too, but when I’m on the beach, I don’t have to answer the phone, make any calls, respond to emails, do the laundry, prepare meals or keep a schedule so it seems easier.
Several times over the past week I caught myself thinking how blessed I am. While I absolutely loved raising our kids and going on vacations with them when they were young, it’s a very different experience when you travel with your adult “children.” I didn’t have to micro-manage anything. I didn’t have to set curfews. I didn’t have to negotiate or be the middle man in an argument. I didn’t have to take time away for a naptime or watch every move the kids made all week. I didn’t have to worry about anyone drowning in the lazy river and it could actually live up to its name of being a l-a-z-y river! This time we spent time talking, lots of time laughing. We explored together and went on adventures together. We enjoyed our meals together and tried new foods. We sat up at night, playing cards and watching silly tv shows.
I’m not sure when the transition really happened. I’m guessing now that Nathan is in college and everyone in our family is over the age of eighteen, it’s becoming easier to let go and to thoroughly just enjoy our “kids.”
This morning, David and I woke up early so we could spend a little time out by the pool before breakfast with everyone and before we all had to head to the airport to go back to the States. We both were chatting about what a great vacation this was. And then with a chuckle, we both realized that our family vacations are going to look different in the future. Our daughter, Sam, and her husband, Rudy, are expecting their first baby in the summer, so the long days of all of us being carefree on the beach will be going out the window when we all travel together. The realization that they might not be able to go with us in the future is a little weird too. But I’m secretly super excited about the prospect of getting to go to Disney World again in the future (since our kids think they outgrew that place many years ago!) While things are definitely changing, it’s not a bad thing at all- it’s just going to be different. But isn’t that what life is really all about? It seems like just when we settle into something and try to get all comfy with our new status or roles, it changes. Not for the worse…it just changes.
So, David and I will be having fun in the weeks and months and years to come, figuring out how to spoil our grandbaby and trying to decide when and where to book our next family vacation!
I can’t wait!
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