Spring Break

This is the strangest spring break of all time.  Normally, we sit huddled under blankets entertaining a very real possibility of snow or frost.  But today, the trees have leaves and the flowers are blooming and we are hoping for temps in the 70s.  Our spring has sprung and it is gorgeous.

In addition to enjoying the beauty outdoors, my kids are off this week.  While Noah will still have track practices some mornings, we are going to enjoy a slower schedule and some time together... much needed after the past several weeks.

Maybe you are like us and the economy has been none-too-kind.  Our bank account dictates our daily decisions and so our break will have less to do with sandy beaches than with simple activities done around home.  And while this is not what I would choose, there are advantages to it, as well.

As parents who approach our work intentionally, I have found that we often have a strong focus on doing rather than being.  Sometimes this makes for amazing experiences and lots of learning of brand new things.  Trips to the city, listening to orchestras, lots of museums, athletic activity... all really wonderful things.  And, honestly we love to be out and about together.

But...

We also get awfully weary.  It is our natural bent to think about things we can DO together.  But, sometimes we need to DO less and BE more.  Sometimes, the best way to catch our breath is to be home and relaxing, enjoying a movie, playing a game, spending time.  Sometimes, we need long nights asleep in our own beds, waking when rested and moving slowly along.  Sometimes, our own backyard and the forest nearby are just as amazing as a park we paid hundreds to enter and enjoy.

And, as we live these days between Palm Sunday and Easter, we need the space to think it through and reflect on what happened so long ago.  We need some space to reflect.  Prepare.  Breathe.  Remember.

So, our spring break has begun and we are here.  It is lunch time and our bed-heads have only just now been tamed.  My home has been filled with violin and cello practices and paragraphs read aloud.  The sun is shining and we have the time to walk and play and be together.  And while I certainly would not refuse a week in some beach resort, these days have a purpose, too.

So, this week I will talk some about what we will do... and maybe you will, too.  We can share some ideas about how to relax, how to regroup, how to play and laugh and be together during a string of simple days.  And in my head, I will work on contentment... because seeking more and seeking better is not always very helpful to me.  It is easy to get lost in coveting what someone else can do and overlook what sits right here, totally within reach.

So I will close here because in the next room, my kids are giggling without me.

Time to join right in!

Blessings on your day.