I take a sip of my frozen mango drink, lean back on the cabana cushion, and take in a fabulous view. My two boys are laughing and frolicking in the turquoise ocean, stopping to examine a new shell or sea creature every few feet. My husband’s head pops out of the water, snorkel in his mouth, calling us over to see something cool in the water. I put my book down, step out into the sunshine, and hop into the crystal-clear water to investigate. Life is good.
Vacations are always good for the soul.
When my boys were little, our trips often still felt like a lot of work. My husband and I used to eagerly take the chance to go away without them once a year, just the two of us, to fit in a “real” vacation. These days, however, something has shifted.
Our family trips have become actual vacations in the past couple of years. I love them.
And I love “vacation us.” “Vacation us” doesn’t have to rush off to sports practices. “Vacation us” doesn’t really care what time it is unless we have dinner reservations. “Vacation us” can just be together and actually be.
And I love how I become a yes mom when we’re away. “Mommy, can I get another virgin pina colada?” Sure! “Can we hit the pool at 9:00 p.m.?” Of course! “Can I play on my tablet the whole time we’re in the car and on the plane?” Have at it!
It’s an amazing break from being the rule setter, the bearer of bad news when it’s time to come in from playing outside, and the ongoing homework enforcer.
We all get what we need most from these trips – a break from everyday life and uninterrupted time as a family, regardless of location. Add in exploring a new country or landscape together, and we have the perfect memory maker.
Plus, now that my oldest is ten, I can’t help but realize that we have a limited amount of spring breaks that he will actually want to take with us.
Time is ticking, and I plan on making the most of our chances to be “vacation us.”
Of course, there is still the occasional fight between my boys and some crankiness when it’s time to go home, but we all always return better having gone. And the more memories we make, the more we experience together, and the more we slow down and really be together, the more the “vacation us” helps make the regular us that much closer.
