When Mom Is On Retreat

Recently Laura went to Camp Gilmont for the Women’s Retreat. So I was at home with the kids for the weekend. No problem. As far as I remember, we all survived without mom at home. The girls and I got Sam to a trombone ensemble performance on Friday night. We ran errands on Saturday, and got some laundry done. Somehow I managed to make a meatloaf for Sunday’s Family Table and prep another one for us to eat on Sunday evening. We arrived at church on time, sat through both services without incident, and I think Sophia’s hair was brushed.

 

In one sense, I’m an old pro at this weekend daddy routine. Laura worked every Saturday and Sunday during most of our time in Iowa. That was hard. Hard on Laura and on us. And of course this was when Sophia was younger and needed more help to get ready.  So I remember Easter Sunday 2011 when Laura was at work. I was in high gear that day for sure. I had the girls in their new dresses. I not only brushed but curled their hair. We were at church in time to eat some pancakes before the Easter egg hunt and worship. The only thing that didn’t go so well is that afternoon I couldn’t get Sophia to sit still for a group picture in front of our tulips. This was the one specific request Laura made, and it didn’t happen. But by that point in the day, Sophia (almost 3 years old then) was deliriously tired and couldn’t focus on anything. I thought back to that morning when I let her eat an entire chocolate bunny for breakfast. Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea after all.

 

The situation with Laura working weekends wasn’t ideal. It wasn’t what we had in mind when we moved 900 miles away from extended family support. It didn’t last forever, though at times it seemed like it would. We made it, and got pretty good at taking care of our chores and each other. We even created some good memories. So when Laura heads off for a weekend retreat, I pause and remember with gratitude the times when life was harder than I wanted it to be. Every experience has something to teach us, a wise man once told me. But that doesn’t stop me from smiling when I hear Laura steer her van back up the driveway.

  

-- David