This past weekend we drove 8 hours south to Minneapolis. We ventured to the Mall of America and the Water Park of America. We bought some Christmas gifts and I browsed the Coach outlet in Albertville.
It was a nice little family getaway. There are things about parenting that I don’t look forward to and things about having a 6, 4 and 2-year-old that are trying but I would never let those things get in the way of making memories with my family. I think Craig would agree.
We pretty much avoid certain restaurants when the kids are with us and sometimes we avoid going out all together. It’s a short-lived period in my life and I am quite alright with giving up some things on my parenting journey. So, we eat at child friendly restaurants and we try to eat early enough to beat the rush. We let the girls bring their iTouch or Daddy brings his iPad. Anything to get through the meal with our sanity in tact.
It’s a season …. as my girls are still young.
On Sunday afternoon, after spending the entire day at the water park, we decided to try to get Quinn to have a nap so that we could actually go out for mexican food. The easiest way to accomplish this with a two-year old (or at least my two-year old) is to put her in her car seat and take her for a drive. So we did and she napped.
The five of us stopped at a mexican restaurant and all piled into a booth together. Where we chatted, took pictures and ate. My girls were great and even though Quinn was a bit restless and needed to go to the bathroom 3 times, she was well-behaved.
I’m not going to lie, we do the Parent’s Prayer before and during all meals out. You know the one….
Please God, make my children behave. May the serving staff have patience and the knowledge to feed us quickly. But please God, make my children behave.
This evening was no exception and as I dined with my family and we chatted, sometimes too loudly, I smiled. This is what life is meant to be. Enjoying ourselves and each other. As I smiled I noticed out of the corner of my eye a mother and her two teenage daughters walk in and sit down and I thought to myself,
That will be me someday. That will be me and my three teenage girls out for supper together. Chatting and enjoying each other’s company. No matter how old they get, I will never stop wanting to dine out with my Divas and this is why I am doing all of this now. Even though sometimes it’s hard. Or more work. Or it’s exhausting. I am investing in them and letting them know that when they are grown, I will still want their company. That is how much I love and want to be with them. That will be me someday.
