It isn’t often at this point in my life that I am just Rachael. As a wife and mother, author and homesteader, I spend a lot of time juggling my different hats, if not trying to cram more than one on my head at the same time. It is an exciting and exhausting existence, and I’m doing my best to soak it up, because I’m very aware that someday, I’ll miss it. But, when my sisters-in-law invited me to join them for a Sister’s Weekend, I thought it might be good for me to have a breather from the chaos.
When the introverted and insecure part of me got over the idea of doing something out of the ordinary, I was excited about all the prospects of a women-only few days away from home. Not only would it give me a chance to regroup and relax from the constant momming, there’d be no stress to get all the unfinished projects done around our farm. So, I caught a ride with two of my sisters-in-law from Illinois, and drove to the AirBnB in Iowa, which was a central location for us all.
The night we arrived was low key and perfect. The house was spacious, we picked up some groceries to share as we munched through the weekend, and enjoyed a bedtime that didn’t involve any disruption. It’s been a minute since I was able to go to bed without having to follow up on anyone else’s routine. On Saturday, I woke up when I wanted to, lazed in bed while typing in a book, ate breakfast, and got myself dressed when I was good and ready. Late morning, we headed out for a Clue-themed escape room (which we rocked) and then ate at a Burmese restaurant that offered an atypical menu I rather enjoyed.
What women’s retreat would be complete without a little pampering? I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had my nails done, so it was a treat to have someone tend to me. HOWEVER, I am also so inexperienced in paid self-care that I did not think about my choice of outfit–ever tried to roll up skinny fit jeans up past your knees? I did. It was nearly impossible to get them up out of the way, but getting them down? I might as well have just sheared my jeans into cut offs. By some miracle, I unloosed my leg from the denim death grip, and was able to appreciate my pretty toes without the blood flow being cut off by my jeans.
We went back to the house for a while, where there was much talk, snacking, and napping. The board games were pulled out, and there were several rousing rounds of Pictionary. As a child, I never considered how my art skills might come in handy, but they did that day.
Dinner was an assortment of finger foods and appetizers that we passed around the table until we were full. Then, back to our homebase for a little ice cream and a lot more talking, giggling, and relaxing. Though it was absolutely frigid outside, most of us braved the elements to slink into the hot tub. Enduring the spine-seizing, toe numbing pain of getting in and out of the heavenly warm water was, in my opinion, worth it.
It should come as no surprise that Sunday started at a snail’s pace. Usually, in our own little corners of the vineyard, Sundays involve shepherding our children to church. Because one of my sister-in-law’s husbands was giving a talk in at their building, and Zoom is an amazing invention, we stayed at home and “attended” church from the comfort of the snug little house.
Sunday turned us into homebodies, though we still found plenty to do to entertain ourselves. We shared cooking and kitchen responsibilities, and called upon the miracle of Zoom to chat with our far away families later in the afternoon. More chatting, more napping, more snacking, more giggling, more games, more relaxing.
By Sunday night, I was feeling a tug on my heart. I’d had my fun, but was about ready to head home. I couldn’t help but think how much fun my girls would have had there with me, or what everyone was up to while I was away. Did they even care that I was existing elsewhere? 😂 And, true to my nature, there’s only so much sitting around I can do before I feel the need to accomplish something tangible. I live by checklists, projects, timelines, and goals. The break was appreciated, and renewed my resolve to keep running my life’s marathon. Or maybe decathlon would be more accurate.
No one was in any rush to leave Monday morning. A couple of the girls had to leave Sunday evening to get back to their commitments, while the rest of us repeated all the other lazy mornings we’d had. The car ride home was uneventful, and when I’d reached the end of my carpool, I jumped in my own car. I finished an audiobook on the way home, just in time for Jack to call me to tell me Raven and Panama had gotten into a tiff, which did not end well for poor Raven. I wasn’t even home, and I was being reminded I *was* needed. 😆
Jack and Kate were gone to the emergency vet when I pulled in at home, though the rest of my clan greeted me with excitement. There is nothing quite as sweet as being welcomed back by my family. That few hours of bliss before bedtime was arguably my favorite part of the whole experience.
As it was my first and only girls’ weekend, I don’t have anything to compare it to. I’d give it ten stars, though. Aside from the general enjoyment of being an autonomous person who got to do fun stuff for three days straight, it was a reminder that I really DO love my day-to-day life. It is challenging, but it’s also fulfilling, beautiful, comfortable, and exhilarating. The few days away were helpful, and I’m so pleased that I was able to spend meaningful time with a group of women who needed the same thing as me. A little bit of comradery can go a long way.
