Mothers Retreat turned into a real life treat.

What an amazing weekend! I am such a blessed woman. This past weekend, I found myself in wonderful company driving up highway 55 in my little civic. Where was I going? AWAY! I decided the moment I heard about this weekend, I would be there. A woman that inspires me to be a better mother announced at our homeschool co-op that she was hosting (another) Mothers Retreat!

So here I found myself, Moose, and Megan heading up to McCall for the weekend. Driving up brought interesting feelings of anxiety, freedom, loneliness and joy. I had an idea that I would be the only non-LDS (mormon) woman attending the retreat. While it is true that most of my friends are LDS because they understand my family values and don't push me outside of them, I also have felt shunned and scorned by those who look down upon my family for not being LDS. My anxieties about being shunned quickly melted and I found myself among women that I was enjoying completely!

It felt good to be 'free' driving away from my home with a friend for a weekend. I had no 'responsibilities' (with the exception of Moose). I felt some guilt about the thrill of freedom - but freedom came with the longing. I missed my husband and kids so much over the weekend. It really was a great wake up to go from that thrill of "ahhh! I'm free!" to the "I want to go home now!!!". A little emotional? You bet.

I cannot tell you what the 'topics' the speakers spoke about. They were LDS based, so I really had a hard time getting content out of them, although I'm sure I was the only one with that feeling. It wasn't the formal speaking time, it was the down time that I think I grew the most. I got to know some of the ladies from our homeschooling co-op better and I loved that!! It was so inspiring to hear others stories, others lifestyles, and to reflect deeply inside what path I was on. But there was so much FUN too! Zumba in our pajamas? Yep! Having a plate in front of me that a toddler didn't want to share? Oh ya! You did know this was heaven right? LOL

Have you ever been in a group of women and found yourself in the rut of husband bashing? I have. Sure, my husband irritates me. And sometimes, I'm prone to letting him know it (and usually the neighbors in asian, I yell that loud. LOL).... but he wouldn't be him without those moments. This weekend was not a group of women husband bashing. In fact, it was so the opposite, we all were together to share something wonderful about our husbands.... How uplifting!!! The stories were simple and funny and emotional and just perfect.

Listening to these women's stories of their life long loves - I began not thinking about just them, and their happiness, but a deep reflection of my own happiness. This past two years has brought so many tears and stress from financial woes that it could be easy to let it swallow me whole sometimes. Instead, I feel like these two years are exactly what was meant to be. My children have witnessed their parents love each other deeply and truly. I have watched my husband define his life goals, beyond more than a career and paycheck. I have had to look in the mirror and decide what the next step in my own path would be. Its been amazing. What would a great weekend be without pictures?!

I captured the casual moments... because I loved them the most! (and isn't the condo fabulous?!)

So many great conversations happening all at once. I wish I could have split myself in a million pieces to hear them all!


Megan and Moose, my best friend and my new little man. What a great picture!
Stacey - the amazing woman who planned all this, also cooked! What a fabulous woman!!!
A group snap-shot before the rest of us packed up and left for the trip home.

So sitting with those women at 11 pm, eating warm brownies and ice cream was fantastic and exactly what I needed! Not because I needed to get away or be free - but because I needed to come home. It was not my absence but my return that was the defining moment of this Mothers Retreat. I came home. Home. I came home to my husband and daughters. To my best friends husband and her children.

I came home to the family that I cherish completely and unconditionally. And I was welcomed home. I am humbled.