This is the first time I’ve taken off the Christmas-NYE week in forever because…#work. I did so this year for a few reasons (too many/too charged to name)–not the least of which is because I barely saw my kids for the last two months. They missed/needed me and I them. So, taking off was a no-brainer.
At the same time…I’m incredibly self-aware. I know that staying home with my kids for days on end drives me bat isht crazy. Legit batty. Irrationally batty. Like, I-should-probably-see-someone-for-it-lest-I-be-committed batty. I love my kids. I even like them most days. But–real talk–they can be jerks. Add being sick? They are borderline pathological. And, for my part, I am restless. And feel the need to do “stuff”. And frustrated if I can’t do an adequate amount of “me stuff”. Which I usually can’t when we are all home. Because when I am home, it’s “mommy is our 3rd playmate” all day. Because…I’m usually not home. So. There’s that.
To mitigate me being batty AND to provide The Cubs with some winter break fun, I planned a two-day get-away to Great Wolf Lodge. Which, I realize, may be hell on earth for some people; particularly during the holidays. But, that’s just how much I abhor staying home: I’d rather subject myself to hundreds of germ-infested, crumb snatchers at an indoor water park than relax in the comfort of my home. I know, I know: I should probably see someone about that.
Well, as luck would have it, the flu hit the Pope household. Big time. First Big Brother Cub. Then Baby Sister Cub. Then Poppa Bear. Christmas day was sub-optimal because the former and latter were under the weather. Today, the day after Christmas, included a trip to the doctor’s office. Needless to say, our trip to GWL was cancelled (postponed, really. Stay tuned for pics from Hades’ home at some point in the near future).
So, here we are.
Physically unable to return to the house after the doctor’s office for fear I might lose my 
mind, I made a detour and went to the park. It was a balmy 51 degrees. The kids would survive, I reasoned. They, too, had (have) cabin fever and were happy to be out of the house after a few days of being sick and shut-in. To top it off, we went to not one, but TWO parks; second park came after lunch and hydration and included bikes. #winning
They enjoyed themselves. I enjoyed being out of the house. The fresh air was good for everyone. Additionally, the outdoors–and movement–are integral for perspective and are an important part of my self-reflection practice. As I count down the days before returning to work and as I stare down the end of the year/decade, here’s to hoping I’m able to carve out more time for the same.
Oh. And that might be coffee in that cup. Or it might not be coffee. Only bet if you are a betting person…
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