Vacation…it’s something that I’m beginning to cherish more than I used to. Not just any vacation…but true, time-off, time to relax, time to reconnect, time to do – NOTHING. Not easy for me. If you know me at all, you know I am a super-planner-squeeze-as-much-into-a-day-as-possible kind of girl. Not lately though. For the last 9 days I have been on true vacation.
I had every intention to work while on this trip. My plan was that I would continue checking and responding to email for The Cupcake Tower and finish a few writing projects for Ken Davis Productions. I work from home everyday so really, except for the few days we were going to spend at Disneyland, I was going to work “normally”. My sister Jen was the first kink in my plan. She decided that, instead of me just taking off a few days from Cupcake land….I was taking off all of them. She was going to do my work for me and I should “keep my nose out of gmail”. My initial instinct was to be a little irritated…no worries, that was very short lived. For a day or two, I kept reading emails, just not responding…for the last four days I haven’t even read them. (thanks Jen…love you)
My “real” job, KDP, well, I was so enjoying not working for The Cupcake Tower that I decided an hour or so a day for KDP would be enough. I kept up on email, answered the 6 or 7 phone calls I got each day…but that was about it. I have some projects I wanted to finish this week, have some other projects that my boss (hi Bri) would like me to get done and I will…starting Monday.
Here’s the thing, I am tired. Or I was tired. It’s not that I’ve slept a lot since we’ve been gone or even taken naps at all (although I seem to fall asleep anytime we’re in the car for more than 5 minutes, go figure). I’ve just rested. I’ve stopped going in 100 directions at once and gone in just a few at a time. I’ve focused on my husband and my kids…learned a few new things about them and remembered a few others.
Delaney is a great writer and an amazing artist. She’s shared her pictures with me and her daily “plans” of what we are going to do that day (wonder where she gets that). I’ve delighted in her smiles and loved watching her interact with Jacob, Sara and Ellie. Jacob has been such a trooper. He was sick at the beginning of this trip (along with me…that’s a whole other post) and was a stud through it all. He’d throw up, then go on another ride. Throw up, then eat some ice cream. He didn’t want to miss a thing. All boy, he had no interest in princesses or fairies…but he’s so gentle with his baby sister Ellie. All the girls really. Sara is hilarious…and I’ve had time these last days to really notice. She keeps all of us laughing, has a bit of a naughty streak…but she’s so dang cute it’s hard to get too upset. And my sweet baby Ellie…for the last nine days I’ve really had time to just hold her, talk to her, stare at her big blue eyes, and savor every moment with my “last” baby. My Travis…he’s an amazing father and my best friend…I love having all this time together.
Tomorrow we go home. I’m not particularly excited. Actually, I want to stay “on vacation”. Don’t misunderstand, I miss my family, my house, even our dog Pearl (weird, I know)…but I’m bummed to give up the luxury I’ve had in the last nine days to do nothing but focus on my husband and kids. To take time for what really matters.
But, real life is about to kick in. Luckily for me, I love my job (both of them), love the challenge of working from home and raising four kids, love taking care of the house, the yard, etc. Real life is great, we are blessed…but don’t think I’m not already dreaming of our next, vacation.
I Count it All Joy... 