Why I Leave The Kids At Home

It is no secret that I love my husband the most in this world.  I also love and adore my children more than I can explain, but my first and most important earthly relationship is to my husband. We have always done everything we can to keep this relationship strong and close.  One way in which we choose to do this is to get away together and leave the kids at home.

I've been told more than once, "I don't know how you can leave the kids and go away."  and I do understand where they are coming from. I also understand this isn't a viable option for everyone because I kind of won the lottery with an amazing support system of grandparents and "auntie" who love these kids and take great care of them! But leaving them is also probably one of the hardest things I do.  As a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom, I literally spend all day everyday with them.  It is very difficult for me to say goodbye and fly away from them. In fact, there are usually weeks if not months of anxiety that are related to that moment of leaving the house without them.  The funny thing is, for the most part the kids are excited and can't wait for us to leave.  I am the one who his sad.  It is not easy, but the time away is so worth it!


Here soon, Peter and I will be embarking on another fun adventure that will leave us saying goodbye to the kids and leaving them home. Peter's new job has required a bit more travel than we are used to and after his 2 week absence last winter I told him I get to go on the next big trip away!  As I look back on fond memories I have between him and I, a lot (but not all) are part of our adventures and time away. A private sunset dinner on the beach in Jamaica. An amazing dinner before running back to the hotel among tornado warnings in Atlanta.  Incredible evenings spent walking around Disneyland hand-in-hand, or even hours spent sitting on park benches with morning sickness because we had no idea I would be 5 weeks pregnant on our anniversary trip.  Falling more in love with each other through service together in Ethiopia. Memory after memory is played over the movie reel in my head as I remember each of these trips, and more.  While this will be a working trip for Peter, I also have no doubt that there are wonderful memories that will be made!    

I'm not sure if vacations count as a love language, but they definitely recharge the batteries.  I for one, am looking forward to a lot of peace of quiet and time to myself.  4 kids under 5 can get to you after awhile. I adore my little family and I know I will miss them like crazy, but the break is so needed and I am so ready for it!  I invest into them day in and day out, it's what I love doing and it is what I want to do. But even the lowliest of full time jobs gives you 2 weeks off a year.  I need breaks and vacation days to recharge the batteries. I can't wait to  catch up on some sleep, read some books, and just relax for a bit!

 Peter and I will enjoy the time to recharge as a couple.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to even utter 2 sentences to each other at dinnertime with 4 kids?  I know most of you do, because you have live this crazy life too!    When the cards line up, and I can afford the plane ticket and get the kids squared away, I will always be by his side!  Time together can be hard to come by, but these trips are so good for us as a couple.  It brings us closer together and reminds us that we're still in this journey together and will always prioritize our marriage first!

I feel very lucky that I have such an amazing support system that makes these trips possible. It's great to know we can get away and not worry about the kids (even though I still do).  I will for sure be posting about our trip!  Here's a little hint of where we're going to be taking off to.  Feels like a dream come true!