Take the Trip-Nashville, Tennessee

Typically when I return from a trip I love to share all the details…where we stayed, where we ate, what activities we did, and the list goes on. First of all, I love to travel so it just comes naturally as something to share. But also as a blog reader, I genuinely love reading posts with all those details. So usually when I’m back from a trip sharing pictures, I’ll share ALL the details.

Except on girl’s trips. I very rarely take pictures. We all share and add them to an album so we all still get home with a ton of great pics but not one person ever feels the weight of having to take on the job of “photographer” on the trip. The main reason though is I’m living in the moment and soaking up all the girl time. Pictures are at the very back of my mind.

This group has been meeting for over thirteen years. What started out as a bible study is now a group of mom’s who can hold each other accountable, pray for each other, lend a helping hand, and are truly just good friends who are there for each other. Now that our kids are a bit older there are so many things happening throughout the week that all of us moms are rarely able to attend a dinner at the same time. I miss quite often for kids’ sports or sometimes it’s just too complicated to get so many people lined up to handle the kids that I bow out. But on these trips there are zero distractions. No one is asking us what’s for dinner, where their uniform is, or if we’re out of milk. On this trip, we get to sleep in, spend HOURS at a dinner table taking our time eating because the company is that much fun, and we get to chit chat. We share our hearts, we share our hurts, and we share our biggest successes.

It’s not easy finding a time that works for nine women, moms to twenty-seven kids, but we compromise. We make it work. We find the sitters. We line up the child-care. On this trip, Tab was out of town on a guy’s ski trip and went straight to Houston for a work event that happened to collide with the day I was leaving. My in-laws had plans so I called in reinforcements. A babysitter helped on Thursday afternoon/evening and even spent the night. As I was packing late Wednesday evening, it crossed my mind that maybe it’s just too complicated.

But friends, I’m here to tell you…TAKE THE TRIP!

You can schedule a trip to a cabin in the woods, a parents’ lake house, a local hotel for the evening, or fly to the beach. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. I’m here to tell you…what’s important is that you’re hanging with your friends.

Getting away with my girlfriends is just good for my soul and I promise it will be for yours too. I came back on Sunday {tired} but refreshed and ready to tackle all the mom duties.

My little Tuesday tip for you is…TAKE THE TRIP, Mamas.

You’ll be so glad you did.

XO