I?am going to the beach on Friday. Acutally, I will be there for three days. The husband and I are taking our sons to Pensacola, Fla. for a little summer getaway
The boys, who are almost 5 years old and 6 1/2 years old, are really excited about spending the night in a hotel. That is the main thing they are looking forward to. Not the beach or going on a little trip, but the hotel.
I remember when I was a kid — OK even now as an adult — thinking that hotel rooms were so awesome. They were like tiny houses without a kitchen. The beds were all fresh (supposedly) and made up super pretty. There was a big TV, and a bathroom that came with a blow dryer already plugged in.
The fact is, every once in a while, we all need a change of pace from life. Even little kids who will barely remember a trip to the beach can appreciate a change of pace. That’s what makes hotels so much fun. — it’s a brand new place. It’s different, exciting and fun.
But after only a short while, that hotel room gets cramped, and fast food gets gross, and it is time to get home.
I love my home. I love hearing my boys giggle their heads off in their room over some weird joke one of them told. There are drawings and scribble-scratch on all four of the walls in their rooms, but I haven’t painted over it yet because it reminds me that they are still little and do little kid things.
I also love coming home from work, walking in the door, and smelling fish grilling in the oven. It is all thanks to my husband who is off work that day, and likes to see me stress-free when I’m home. However, he knows that is a rare occurance because I am always worried about cleaning the house or making my spin class on time. Fortunately, Jerry understands my personality, and he loves me anyway.
But as much as I love my house, it is nice to get out of it so that I?can’t clean so much or think about what kind of yard work can be done.
Vacations are a necessity so you can reload, refresh, and refuel.
So this weekend, while I’m at the beach, I plan on giggling with my kids, relaxing with my husband, getting a little sun and not vacuuming. I plan on appreciating the small things, enjoying the beauty God created, avoiding sharks, and feeling at peace.
Then?I can come home relaxed for all of five minutes before I see the pile of laundry that needs to be done.
(Chrissy Smith is Sports Editor of the Slidell Independent, and a former college athlete. She can be reached at chrissycsmith@gmail.com.)