So where have I been all this time? Off on a missions trip / vacation with my husband! It was wonderful for our marriage, our son, and our family. Why?
1. Going away helped us remember why we got married in the first place -- we're great friends! We got to work on the same missions project together (laying bricks is work enough for two!), make new friends together, and explore the Dominican Republic together. We got to have long uninterrupted conversations in restaurants and get lost and found again among the first buildings ever built in the New World. It was great fun and has renewed our vision for life together.
2. Going away refreshed me for the 24/7 job of mothering. I saw other people with their babies and toddlers and watched other baby-free people watching them. I gained a new perspective for how precious and short is the time we'll have with our son at home. I find I am much more patient and able to make wise choices in my parenting since returning. I'm really having fun with my job as a mother.
3. Going away gave our son a wonderful opportunity to experience the love and care of his grandparents and aunt. That relationship is precious and we want to encourage it. It's neat to see how our son has a special and unique bond with each of them now. He still loves his Mommy and Daddy and was happy to see us, but it's good for him to be able to find security and build relationships with his extended family as well.
In their parenting seminars, Mark and Jill Savage recommend daily dates ("How was your day?" conversations), weekly dates (the familiar date-night concept), and yearly dates with your spouse. The yearly date is something like a weekend away or a vacation with just the two of you. After our get-away, I would have to say, theirs is great advice!
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Jill Savage's blog
Mark Savage's blog
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