Dear Mamas, Take The Friend Trip.

This past weekend I took the trip. I took a little vacation with my friends.

I have a hard time leaving home, leaving my kids and my husband behind. I am S U C H a homebody. I went into this trip telling myself that I was going to take it in, and keep a mental record of why this was so necessary.

As a mom of two busy little boys and a husband who doesn’t know what down time feels like, It is important to take a minute to refresh. It's important to do what’s best for you.

I occasionally long for a little freedom. I long for the person that I was before I was their mom and his wife. I mentally search for who she even was. What did that person even do with the 24 hours she was given in a day? Was she bored? Was she tired?

She was probably a better friend. She probably had more of herself to put into her friendships.

Over the past couple years, I have learned a lot about my friendships. I have learned that your friends are people who love you, when you forget to love yourself. They are people who make you laugh and give you hope. It doesn’t matter if you’ve known them for a minute, or a lifetime. I have learned that things that get broken, don’t always get fixed and put back together the same way, and sometimes that goes for friendships too. I have learned that I am little more grateful for the people who have stuck around. Friendships aren't as easy when you're a wife and a mom, but to have good friends, you have to be a good friend.

Take the trip with your friends who make you comfortable.

Travel with people who you can sing off tune at the top of your lungs with.

Find people who understand you and your limits.

Take a trip with the girls who are down for a pit stop to indulge in all of the carbs.

Take a trip with the friends that you don’t need to take a trip with. Let's face it, we can have just as much fun at one of our kiddo's birthday parties.

Take a trip where the only thing on your to 'do list', is to make sure to have a peaceful cup of coffee in the morning, before you have margaritas at the pool in the afternoon

Most of all, Take a trip that makes you miss your spouse and your kids.

Eat all of the things, drink all of the drinks, and dance like no one is watching. Before you go back to wiping away tears and messy kisses, enjoy being in the presence of who takes care of you and your soul.

We all had people we loved waiting back at home for us, but we took a weekend out of our summer for ourselves, and for each other. We took a weekend to spend together as the 6 people who have gone through everything this last year has thrown at us, together. We have been through make ups, break ups, engagements, babies, and cancer this year. We all have families of our own, careers on opposite ends of the spectrum, and friends outside of this circle. We all know that these people, no matter how long it's been, where we are, or what time it is, will be there.

The biggest takeaway for me was that it was S O sweet to come home with a refreshed soul. I longed for my family and my home. I longed for my sweet little slice of crazy.

Today, I am not yearning for who she was before she was a mama. She was fun, she is still in there, but she is not me anymore. She is fun every once in a while, but she is exhausting. Her people are still there. Her life is a little more chaotic and a little less free, but just as sweet.

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