Time as a family of three...

Vinnie and I are just wrapping an extended weekend with Jon...and it was PERFECT!  As are most of our weekends as a family of three.  While we enjoyed two weeks of solid time together in Minnesota over the holidays, it means so much more when its just us, at home, with no big plans.  Its when we feel normal again.  We quickly settle back into our routines of old, our comfort zone and just enjoy time together.  This weekend provided the opportunity for just that.

Jon arrived Friday evening and we enjoyed some toys and Darby playtime before Vinnie headed to bed.  Due to his excitement to see Daddy, Vinnie was early to rise Saturday morning.  Jon got up with him, giving me a chance to sleep in (what is that?!?) and the two of them enjoyed some toy time downstairs.  Vinnie also helped prepare pancakes for breakfast before we headed out to select and order flooring for the kitchen and dining room and running some other errands.  After Vinnie's nap we enjoyed a trip to church.  This is probably my favorite part of our time as a family of three on these special weekends.  Vinnie is just too much for me to handle at church by myself, so I only get there when Jon visits.  I love being surrounded by our church family.  It refreshes me and excites me to find a new church family in our future community in Minnesota.  After church we did grocery shopping and picked up Monster's University before heading home.  Jon grilled a delicious dinner (another rarity when he's not around...that grill terrifies me), and we cozied up for the adorable movie before all heading to bed early.  Thanks to the federal holiday, we not only got all day Sunday, but all day Monday with Jon home too.  He chose to "work from Iowa" on Monday, spending his whole day working on a writing piece, and left this morning to head back North.

While the time together gives me the opportunity to rest and is a much welcomed break, I always hate the days immediately after we part ways.  The support and companionship both Vinnie and I feel when Jon is here is ripped away and that takes some adjusting.  We both just kind of mope for a day or two, trying to remember what our roles in our partnership.  The hardest part this time, is seeing the contrast in Vinnie's demeanor between time as a family of three, and the rest of the time.  Vinnie is all around a much happier kid when we are all together.  He plays well, eats well, sleeps well (for the most part), and is all around a much happier kid.  This discovery has uncovered a whole new layer of guilt that I hadn't experienced before, and then begins the process of questioning, "is this the right choice?" and "are we doing what's best by Vinnie?"  But, I then move past the guild and remind myself, good or bad, it was what we HAD to do.  It was the best choice for our family.  We are all growing from this experience, and we probably won't see just how much until we have reached the other side.

And so...I leave you today with this thought, one that I found not too long ago and use it to get through the rough days...
"You can't be brave if only wonderful things happen to you." Mary Tyler Moore