The Great Escape

August 17, 2016

My sister moved to California a couple of years ago just as I was moving back home to Minnesota. We have had many wonderful adventures together as well as many equally wonderful quiet moments doing nothing.  She is my go to person and I was selfishly not thrilled about this timing.  I want her available to me instantly and for no good reason to simply grab a glass of wine together.

 We planned on visiting last summer for a 10 day family trip.  Our family weeklong adventure then turned into a long weekend when my husband was starting a new job and we were having  baby number two.  An unexpected new furnace turned our family visit into an even shorter visit with just the baby.  I booked my ticket at 10:00pm to make the flight less expensive and at the last minute decided it was a terrible idea to bring Vida overnight with a midnight layover.  

I was feeling very discouraged about all these changes and frankly missing when I could just travel without having to consider so many things.  Budgets, work, and Babies.  This mama needs a little adventure every now and then.  What is the point of going for only 4 days?  I now realize I was being a total moron.  What an idiot!

Thanks to my husband and very generous sister in-law I barely thought of my family for 4 whole days.  I only thought of myself.   Don't get me wrong.  I love being a wife and a mother, but it is a lot of taking care of other people.  There is no going home at the end of my work day.  

I spent my days in Tahoe enjoying nature, my sister, and doing WHATEVER I WANTED.  I woke up when I wanted, I ate when I wanted, I didn't have to share, and I got to do WHAT I WANTED.  I actually finished a cup of coffee start to finish without it getting cold.   This is pretty epic people.  It also didn't hurt that it was personally imported from Costa Rica by my sister's latest travels.

It was also a beautiful reminder of who I am outside of motherhood.  I love to physically challenge myself and push myself to the limit.  Not just in patience for a never ending tantrum, but can I make it to the top of a mountain?  Turns out I still can.  I love nature.  I crave its' peace and quiet.  I have many amazing soul mates in my life and time with them is a treasure.  I love food, wine, and good company.  What a treat to enjoy without multi-tasking.  I also realized that I don't need to travel to Tahoe to experience these things in my everyday.  Okay the climbing a mountain thing maybe, but the feeling no.  

 I may not get to live close to my sister, or see her as often as I would like, but for now these mini adventures will have to do.