Together

Saturday found my house filled, kids everywhere, crumbs and sippy cups littering the floors.  A simple bbq, 4 families, 10 kids and 8 adults, and the families are growing, the presence of 3 more beginning to show in the rounded bellies of my friends.

And yet, despite the chaos, the noise, the rain that kept us from being able to spill outdoors there was something beautiful.  Being in this together.  Watching other moms and dads wipe faces and clean up spills and stop another head from getting banged by some toy.  Conversations that stopped and started depending on kids needs.

Building memories.  During the loading of dishwasher I escaped to see what was happening in the girls room.   Sprawled on the floor were the oldest 4 girls, breaking from their princess play to colour.

Watching them giggle, talk, form friendships.

Having a bursting house that was rather small for all these people, making the most despite the rain.

And finally, when the coffee pot was on and the dinner plates tucked back away, bowls filled with popcorn and movie put on, we hoped for a bit of uninterrupted adult conversation.

Which, by the way worked only for the oldest 4 who watched Horton Hears a Who rather intently, the 4 oldest ones who would have kept themselves busy regardless of a movie.  The little ones found sitting for a movie rather boring and so our conversations remained scattered.  There is chaos when there is a gathering of more kids than adults.  This stage, it is fleeting and these kids will grow, and when we look back on pictures like this we'll laugh and remember what it was like being all together.

on NOT being Mom for a day...

Last Saturday found four moms taking a day off from being moms.  We opted for a touristy area, so we could just wander and browse.  To wander into each and every store without worrying about breakable things and room for strollers.

It was perfect; the weather, the company, the stores and the coffee.

We entered tacky Christmas stores, fun hat shops, jewelry stores.  We drank Starbucks and we escaped.  From the business of life, from little kids and constant housekeeping, from the balance of jobs and commitments and families, and we found ourselves walking along streets like this, arm in arm.  I couldn't help but wonder if anyone could have guessed that there are now 10 children between us?  

Spouses were left to fend for themselves, for mealtimes, bath-times, nap-times and bedtimes.  I got a text from Drew at lunch telling me that they were "doing awesome and enjoy your day".  He knows me well.

It has been years since I've done this and I realized that even though its difficult to sometimes step back from the mommy world, it really is important.  The stresses of day to day life melted off with each hour that we browsed and chatted.  With no little ones distracting us.  There were no noses to be cleaned and no stores to be avoided for fear of little hands touching. As much as I love being a mom, sometimes its nice to escape.

To spend time cultivating those friendships. To eat lunch and dinner together, to sip coffee and walk arm in arm.  To be reminded that even though we have families, we are still young and full of life.  To encourage one another in faith and marriage. To laugh at how ridiculous I look in hats and headbands:)  To just be girlfriends for a day, away from the constant demands and distractions that comes with having little ones.

I came home feeling relaxed and re-energized.  Ready to tackle the jobs that before seemed daunting.

Sometimes it doesn't have to be a weekend getaway, or a holiday, sometimes the break is more in the people you are with than in the places that you go.