Preparing for Craziness

Last weekend was just what I needed. It was so nice to get away from the busyness of life and relax. The only thing wrong with last weekend was that it wasn't long enough. :)

The photo below was taken by Allison as we floated lazily on the lake while the boys tried their hardest to catch fish and Al and I flipped through the pages of Southern Living. In that moment, nothing else seemed to matter.

Then Monday came and I was thrown back into reality a little too quickly. Work has become stressful. I like to be busy, especially at work, but when busy turns into insanity, it starts to really feel like work. On top of that, this next week is about to get really crazy. Todd's family will get here on Saturday. On Sunday I leave on a four-day work trip to the Carolinas (where I'll get to see my mom and sister and eat at Foster's again!). When I get back to Nashville, my dad will be on his way here to visit. I'm so excited for he and my family to be here, it has been over a year since they have been to our house. Their visit will include a road trip to St. Louis to see the Cardinals. When we get back from St. Louis, my cousin is coming in town for a couple of days. Whew!

God's timing is perfect. I would not be prepared to face the week ahead without our mini-vacation. I've been in overdrive mode for weeks and needed to pause and take a few deep breaths. I needed to leave my Blackberry behind and recharge. I needed to laugh hard and sleep in late. I'm so thankful that God understands our need to slow down and gives us rest when we need it most. Isaiah 40:30-31 says: Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

I'm really looking forward to spending the next week with my family. We'll create many great memories that will most likely be documented here in the days to come.

I'm also thankful for my Nashville family who encouraged me to take a break from the demands of everyday life. I'm sure my family will thank them too when I'm not as tired and cranky as I would have been had I not stopped to catch my breath.

One of our nightly dinners at the cabin...

So as I prepare for the craziness that is about to come next week, I remind myself of how fun it will be and how I won't want it to end, which is exactly how I felt about our cabin retreat.