thomas surprised me with an overnight trip to nashville. he bought tickets to a music festival, booked a hotel, arranged to have my mom fly out here to watch the kids and did it all without my knowledge. in 17 years, overnight trips are a bit of a rarity, so this was very exciting for me.
we left on saturday morning. we ate junk food in the car and the drive without kids was so fast and easy that i felt a little cheated.
after no one threw up in the car, no one fought with anyone about seat space, no one made a mess with crumbly food or asked to stop for the bathroom 43 times, we arrived in nashville feeling better than okay about life. we ate at hattie B's and no one spilled water all over the table. we also had some of the best friend chicken ever. very spicy but so juicy. we had to wait for about 30 minutes for a table and neither of us complained about it. we just chatted and enjoyed one another's company.
then we went back to our hotel and took power naps. quietly. with no fanfare or debate. after our naps, we put on comfortable, weather appropriate clothes with sensible walking shoes and a hat for sun protection and joined all the other middle age fans for an evening of music in the park. we paid extra for closer parking because sometimes that's what middle age and a good job affords you.
the show we really wanted to see was the killers and they did not disappoint.
after the conclusion of the show, we rushed over to our more expensive and conveniently closer parking spot and arrived back at the hotel in time to watch the second half of the Georgia-Notre Dame game. this is also when my cold that i had been heavily medicating up to this point took a turn for the worse and i curled up in bed and no one touched me or talked to me. the best way to be sick.
sunday morning we got up early and found a ward building that shared a parking lot with the nashville temple. the nashville temple is tiny but packs a full measure of the Spirit in it's small size.
as we walked in the chapel for sacrament meeting, thomas and i looked at each other knowingly as we heard a family with several small children declaring their presence. we were on the front row of one side of the chapel and the family was on the front row of the other side. it appeared to be a family of 7 and two of the children had severe handicaps and were confided to wheelchairs. i had a clear view to watch the interactions of this sweet family. i watched as the mother lovingly held the hand of her wheelchair bound daughter as the daughter squealed with delight during the meeting. the mother seemed to be constantly smiling as she listened to the truly wonderful youth speakers(neither of whom complained about or repeated that tired story of avoiding the bishopric member and trying to get out of giving a talk in church). she adjusted tubes and appeared to prepare a liquid to put in the feeding tube of her daughter. i was overcome watching this beautiful interaction. i had to stare at the floor and think of poopy diapers to keep myself from openly sobbing. getting away with thomas and sleeping in and having lots of fun was supposed to be the most recharging part of the trip. attending sacrament meeting, feeling the Spirit, watching a mother lovingly care for her two special needs children was in actuality the most recharging part. my motherhood teammate's example buoyed me up. the intermediate hymn was one of my favorites and the same part of the song in all three verses struck me as especially profound that sunday.
i am grateful we went to church.
after church we drove around music row and downtown nashville before we headed back home. the drive home was like sunday night before the first day of school on steroids. i love my kids. i really love not spending time with my kids once in a while.
surprise! thomas didn't want to be in any pictures! shocker!
my new favorite picture of myself:
the next day, athena blythe was super sick so i took her to the doctor but by mid-morning she had made a miraculous recovery and she was able to enjoy lunch with grandma and mama. don't tell scarlett, because she BEGGED to be allowed to stay home from school. maybe next time.
sweet it the peace the gospel brings.
the end.
4 comments:
How has no one commented on this yet? What a great post.
Loved the part about Sacrament meeting. And no kids bothering you. I'm reading this at 6:00 a.m. on a Saturday, with a milk-drunk baby next to me on one side, and GWEN pushing on my arm on the other side. MOTHER.HOOD.
You're a great writer.
I love the Killers so much and going to see them overnight with your favorite sounds so dreamy. I am always glad when I go to church too and your spirit gets just what you need. Glad you got to go.
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