A Time to Refresh

We just returned home from a whirlwind 24 hours. My sweet husband told me on Wednesday to not have plans for Friday night. I love a man with a plan so I was excited. I am also the worlds worst at being surprised. I always want to know and have a sharp, investigative nature so I immediately had all kinds of thoughts going through my head. Having been married to me now almost seven years he knows this trait very well. Before I could open my mouth he told me to not ask, not speculate, and to just sit back and wait for instruction. I asked what I was to wear and he told me, "I will let you know when you need to know". Phooey...I was not going to get anywhere.

Something changed however after a day or so. I began to get very excited about being surprised. I mean, this was a big deal for me. Believe me, I have never liked surprises. I am MORE surprised when I know. I think it means I have a fear of the unknown but we are not trying to pychoanalyze the situation right now. When I was thirteen I even gave away the surprise of everyone's Christmas presents to my three siblings. I had found the presents and asked if they wanted to see them! I showed them the presents. My parents that year were furious. Of course my younger sisters tattled on me, as they should have, and at first no presents were under the tree. I learned my lesson about that but my husband has still had a hard time trying to surprise me.

Yesterday arrived and he was off work and had lots going on. He was not reachable most of the day by phone. It just so happened that I had a hair appointment with my dear friend yesterday. I told her that something was up and all I knew was we had reservations at seven o'clock. She gave me the works with my hair and sent me on my way.

I arrived home and did not notice anything that would give me clues at all. Our daughter was geting ready to leave for a weekend mission trip so we were getting her ready and taking her to our church by six that evening. She had picked out what I was to wear. As I went into our room I noticed that it looked a little different. That is when I noticed the suitcase on the bed and turned and saw the enormous smile on my husbands face! He had planned an overnight get away for us! He had gotten our sons taken care of with food and fun for the night. They are more than capable of staying by themselves. He told me to go get ready.

I must tell you that I was so happy. What I have not told you is that last weekend while my husband was busy at work I had a melt down. I mean a big, bad meltdown. I have not cried like that in I don't know how long. It was not really over any one thing. I had to deal with the usual teenage angst issues but I was overwhelmed with all I needed to accomplish and was having a pretty big pitty party to boot! I felt everything pressing in on me and realized that I missed my husband so much! We always try to have a date night but we are both so tired and there is always a teen calling to ask a question, or tell us something 'important'. We never really get uninterrupted time to hold hands, talk, and just sit quietly with one another.

I did not voice this to anyone but my Lord. I prayed so hard last week. I desired to have time with my husband without our children around and no commitments. After my crying jag he realized he was going to be off for nine days. He got the ball rolling. He wanted us to go to Tulsa but then remembered our middle son turns 15 tomorrow. He then decided that we would stay at a new hotel in Oklahoma City...a few miles from our home but still...alone....away....quiet....peace.

My husband is also a very good listener and has remembered things that I have told him, sometimes all the way back to when we were dating. I mentioned one of my favorite places to eat in Edmond but it had gone out of business in town a long time ago. I knew there was one still in OKC but it was never something we thought about on date night. He got us reservations there for seven last night. MMMM it was so good. The jazz was great! We loved it! We then moved on to Barnes and Noble, which is my favorite thing to do so we could hold hands, read, and more importantly talk, oh yea and drink Starbucks. We were able to sleep in today and have spent the entire day together. It did not matter that we did not go to another town outside the boundaries of our own. It was a time to reconnect and remember how the Lord brought us together and just enjoy each others company.

I highly recommend it! I feel recharged and refreshed. Ready to meet the challenges of the coming week. It was just what I needed to refocus on this wonderful gift the Lord gave me. It also made me realize that I can't let myself get so stressed. While I have wonderful children that are awesome....they are all trying to find their place in this world and where they fit. They also have those teenage hormones racing through their bodies and at times they may not make sense may get a little testy, or they may have their own emotional upheavals but we are a family...that Christ put together. We fit perfectly together like a hand in a glove. It is the most amazing thing that I have ever experienced in my life. I needed only 24 hours away to relax and realize yet again who is in control and relinquish that tight grip I seem to have at times when I want to be in charge. That is where I always fail and get myself in a bind....I just have to keep my focus on Christ and continually let Him mold me into the wife and mom that He desires for me to be and not some preconceived idea that I have in my head.

So I missed being around today. I did not get my Super Savings Saturday post done but tomorrow is a new day. I think I have had my batteries recharged and I am ready to rumble!