My hubby and I just got back from a 5 day trip to Las Vegas without our precious one year old. As hard as it was to leave him for that many days, it was a WONDERFUL opportunity to recharge ourselves and our marriage. I HIGHLY recommend even short little get-aways for parents!
Of course, I was calling my mom three times a day to find out every little detail about Marshall. How was he eating? How was he napping? How was his overall attitude? I didn't expect to be that clingy, but being away from him that long felt like a part of me was missing, like there was a big, gaping hole that would only be filled when we were reunited. I know, sounds pathetic! After a few teary moments, my sweet hubby had to remind me that this was much-needed time for me as a wife and mom. By spending time away from Marshall, I was actually getting recharged to be a better mom when I got back. Reminders like those helped keep the tears at bay for the most part!
Besides the fact that I missed him like crazy, we had a lot of fun. Here are a few highlights from our trip:
Walking and talking - if you've ever been to Vegas, you know that you have to do a LOT of walking. Everything is big: the hotels, the casinos, the blocks, the intersections, and not only are you constantly walking, you're also going up and down stairs and escalators. That was a bit of a challenge being 5 months pregnant, but my hubby was SO good at asking wonderful questions that helped me forget that my feet and back were hurting! Questions like: what did you learn from your first year as a mom? What will you do differently with Baby 2? What are some areas of your life you want to change this year? What has been difficult about this year? What has been great about this year? Any of you who know me well know that I eat this kind of conversation up! It was wonderful! Go hubby!!!
Hiking Red Rocks Canyon - this was a half-day adventure that was WELL worth the time and money! We had a wonderful guide pick us up from our hotel and drive us 20 minutes outside the city to climb the beautiful red sandstone mountains known as the Red Rocks. It was a gorgeous day with beautiful views and a wonderful change from the stuffy, smoky casinos on the Strip.
Nice hotel - we decided that staying in a 4-5 star hotel was important to us on this trip. Being pregnant and wanting a relaxing stay, we splurged here. Well, kind of. We still used Hotwire.com, which meant we went potluck with our hotel and ended up paying half price for the room ($150 a night as opposed to $300 or more!!!). We ended up at The Wynn, which was absolutely GORGEOUS! I took a bath every night, lounged around in the hotel's comfy robe, and read a lot, sprawled out on the down-filled bed. It was bliss!
Spa Day - my hubby treated me to a day at Canyon Ranch Spa (part of the Venetian Hotel). I got a mid-week special: massage and facial. I got to enjoy the lovely amenities, which included a rain shower, wave room, aromatherapy steam room, and reading room. It was a wonderful break after walking around so much.
Half price tickets - my hubby hit the jackpot on this one. We found some FUN shows - Tony and Tina's wedding and a comedy show for half price. It felt good to enjoy a show almost every night and not feel like we were spending a fortune!
"O" by Cirque du Soleil - this was our exception to the half price tickets...well, again, kind of. We technically paid half price ($100 vs. $200) because we chose seats that were considered to have an "obstructed view" due to the railing. When Jim talked to the lady at the box office, she recommended these, promising that you wouldn't even notice the railing. She was right! It was fun knowing that we had great seats, while the people sitting right next to us paid twice as much!!!
Celebrity sighting - If anyone watches Holly's World, I saw Angel Porrino, Holly's friend, assistant and sub in "Peep Show." We were walking around one of the new hotels, the Cosmopolitan, and stumbled across a fancy champagne party going on in the lobby. She literally walked right past me, almost brushing my shoulder. I did the whole turn around and gawk thing. I was SO excited and wanted to call someone and tell them, but then realized that none of my friends watch the show (probably bc it's a little trashy!) My hubby had no idea who she was, but felt me tense up immediately as he was holding my hand when she walked past. I was giddy the rest of the evening!
Old Vegas - while we're not big gamblers, we dabbled in blackjack and craps. Our favorite place to go was Old Vegas, where the casinos have a fun vibe and you can find plenty of $5 tables (instead of the $10 and $20 tables you find at most of the hotels on the Strip). My hubby ended up "up" for the whole trip, so that was a plus!
Overall, it was a fantastic trip. I was SO ready to see Marshall the whole flight back but again, kept reminding myself that I was now rested and recharged, ready to be a full-time mom again!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The Joy in Sacrifice
I had an interesting moment in the doctor's office yesterday. A nurse was taking my vitals and asking the basic questions before the doctor arrived (I've been dealing with 2 months of persistent congestion that I probably got from my little germ spreader!). Marshall was with me and being a bit fussy and squirmy.
She looked down at my protruding belly for a moment, then asked, "How far apart will they be?"
"17 months," I replied.
"WOW," she said. "Your life is going to be CRAZY!" Her tone wasn't a sympathetic-but-it-will-be-worth-it tone. It was more like one of those thank-God-that's-not-MY- life tones. She wasn't super friendly with Marshall, either, so it was obvious she wasn't a kid person.
When she left the room, my first reaction was to feel defensive, wanting to tell her how much I really DO enjoy life as a mom. Then I felt pity for her because I thought she probably doesn't even know what she's missing! But finally, I suddenly remembered that was ME a few years ago. I would've had the SAME reaction if I saw a mom with a toddler and one on the way. I would've been thankful that wasn't ME and been SO glad I had my OWN life of freedom, unburdened by the demands of little ones.
Yet now, I AM that person I used to pity! And I can honestly say..I couldn't be more joyful! But by joyful, I don't mean my days are rosy and carefree. There are plenty of hard days. But even on those hard days, there is a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment that I have never experienced until now. Maybe not every mom feels this way, but I think most do.
Perhaps there are a few reasons for why there is such fulfillment and sense of purpose in being a mom. Biblically speaking, women were created in God's image and specifically gifted to be caretakers and mothers. That's not their ONLY role, but it's one that God clearly intended since Creation. So it is NATURAL for us to enjoy and even thrive as mothers!
But I think there is a secondary reason, which has to do with the process of DYING to ourselves. As painful as it may sound, there is something JOYFUL in sacrifice. There is something deeply fulfilling in living in a way that is not all about ME and MY NEEDS. Instead of making decisions all day long about what I want to do, I am thinking about my husband's and son's needs first (most of the time, atleast!). And while that would've sounded stifling to me a few years ago, it is deeply rewarding as I live it out today.
Let me give 2 examples.
Sickness. I rarely used to get sick and when I did, I could take a day off work, lie in bed, veg out, watch TV and allow my body to fully recuperate. That isn't the case anymore. Even when I'm sick, I have to get up at 6am, change, feed and tend to Marshall. It's hard and exhausting. But at the end of the day, I love that I can't cater to myself anymore. And I am amazed at how much TOUGHER I've become just by realizing I don't have that option!
Time. Before we had Marshall, as a married couple, Jim and I could spend our time however we wanted. Going out to movies, sleeping in on the weekends, taking a last minute trip somewhere because of a good deal on Southwest Airlines. It was OUR time. Now, Marshall sets the schedule. There are nap times, meal times, and bed times that we structure our lives around (I guess some parents don't take this approach, but you usually pay for it if your child isn't on a schedule!). While we definitely miss our old life of entertaining ourselves whenever and however we wanted, we both agree that sacrificing our own schedule for Marshall's is ultimately worth it. It means we spend a lot more time at home together, reading and going to bed earlier. But again, within that sacrifice of structure and loss of freedom, there comes JOY.
Finally, we have no better example of someone who died to Himself than Jesus Christ. He did not demand His needs or wants. Instead, He loved on people, He gave of Himself, He healed crowds who were constantly following Him, nagging Him, needing a piece of Him. And He gave, willingly, lovingly and joyfully. Up until His very death, He gave of Himself. He didn't demand His rights. He could've struck His tormentors down with a lightning bolt and killed them in one instant if He wanted to. But He didn't. That wasn't His way. His way was the way of the cross, the way of death to self, one of humility, love and sacrifice for others. He is our ultimate example.
As I continue to face new challenges each day being a mom, I want to lean on the fact that my Lord and Savior can relate to me. He has walked before me on this path of "death to self." He knows what I am going through. While it is painful and frustrating at times, He understands. And in the process, I can draw closer to Him through this experience. I am comforted by the words in Philippians 3:10-11, which say, "I want to know Christ - yes, the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow attaining to the resurrection from the dead." (Phil 3:10-11)
I look forward to knowing you more, Lord Jesus, as I embrace the challenges of motherhood and sacrifice in the years ahead!
She looked down at my protruding belly for a moment, then asked, "How far apart will they be?"
"17 months," I replied.
"WOW," she said. "Your life is going to be CRAZY!" Her tone wasn't a sympathetic-but-it-will-be-worth-it tone. It was more like one of those thank-God-that's-not-MY- life tones. She wasn't super friendly with Marshall, either, so it was obvious she wasn't a kid person.
When she left the room, my first reaction was to feel defensive, wanting to tell her how much I really DO enjoy life as a mom. Then I felt pity for her because I thought she probably doesn't even know what she's missing! But finally, I suddenly remembered that was ME a few years ago. I would've had the SAME reaction if I saw a mom with a toddler and one on the way. I would've been thankful that wasn't ME and been SO glad I had my OWN life of freedom, unburdened by the demands of little ones.
Yet now, I AM that person I used to pity! And I can honestly say..I couldn't be more joyful! But by joyful, I don't mean my days are rosy and carefree. There are plenty of hard days. But even on those hard days, there is a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment that I have never experienced until now. Maybe not every mom feels this way, but I think most do.
Perhaps there are a few reasons for why there is such fulfillment and sense of purpose in being a mom. Biblically speaking, women were created in God's image and specifically gifted to be caretakers and mothers. That's not their ONLY role, but it's one that God clearly intended since Creation. So it is NATURAL for us to enjoy and even thrive as mothers!
But I think there is a secondary reason, which has to do with the process of DYING to ourselves. As painful as it may sound, there is something JOYFUL in sacrifice. There is something deeply fulfilling in living in a way that is not all about ME and MY NEEDS. Instead of making decisions all day long about what I want to do, I am thinking about my husband's and son's needs first (most of the time, atleast!). And while that would've sounded stifling to me a few years ago, it is deeply rewarding as I live it out today.
Let me give 2 examples.
Sickness. I rarely used to get sick and when I did, I could take a day off work, lie in bed, veg out, watch TV and allow my body to fully recuperate. That isn't the case anymore. Even when I'm sick, I have to get up at 6am, change, feed and tend to Marshall. It's hard and exhausting. But at the end of the day, I love that I can't cater to myself anymore. And I am amazed at how much TOUGHER I've become just by realizing I don't have that option!
Time. Before we had Marshall, as a married couple, Jim and I could spend our time however we wanted. Going out to movies, sleeping in on the weekends, taking a last minute trip somewhere because of a good deal on Southwest Airlines. It was OUR time. Now, Marshall sets the schedule. There are nap times, meal times, and bed times that we structure our lives around (I guess some parents don't take this approach, but you usually pay for it if your child isn't on a schedule!). While we definitely miss our old life of entertaining ourselves whenever and however we wanted, we both agree that sacrificing our own schedule for Marshall's is ultimately worth it. It means we spend a lot more time at home together, reading and going to bed earlier. But again, within that sacrifice of structure and loss of freedom, there comes JOY.
Finally, we have no better example of someone who died to Himself than Jesus Christ. He did not demand His needs or wants. Instead, He loved on people, He gave of Himself, He healed crowds who were constantly following Him, nagging Him, needing a piece of Him. And He gave, willingly, lovingly and joyfully. Up until His very death, He gave of Himself. He didn't demand His rights. He could've struck His tormentors down with a lightning bolt and killed them in one instant if He wanted to. But He didn't. That wasn't His way. His way was the way of the cross, the way of death to self, one of humility, love and sacrifice for others. He is our ultimate example.
As I continue to face new challenges each day being a mom, I want to lean on the fact that my Lord and Savior can relate to me. He has walked before me on this path of "death to self." He knows what I am going through. While it is painful and frustrating at times, He understands. And in the process, I can draw closer to Him through this experience. I am comforted by the words in Philippians 3:10-11, which say, "I want to know Christ - yes, the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow attaining to the resurrection from the dead." (Phil 3:10-11)
I look forward to knowing you more, Lord Jesus, as I embrace the challenges of motherhood and sacrifice in the years ahead!
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