The day I couldn’t adult anymore

Last Tuesday I collapsed on my husband and cried.  And this wasn’t just the few delicate tears, no it was the all out ugly crying and sobbing like a two year old throwing a tantrum.  I had planned a glorious romantic evening in my head, and when it came time to actually put it into play I just couldn’t.

I pulled a muscle in my neck, and my entire body was hurting.

I was stressed because our church had VBS this week, and I was missing several key components for the part I was responsible for.

We still have no idea why Batman’s back and neck have been hurting, we have a long term solution, but I wanted a “take these pills for 5 days and it’ll be all better.”

 

That solution doesn’t exist.

 

My brother had announced a major struggle, and I wanted to wave my magic wand and fix the problem.

 

I don’t have a magic wand.  I couldn’t fix the problem, and that was the final straw for me that night.

 

So, I was crying and my face was turning blotchy, and my poor husband was trying to solve the problem that couldn’t be fixed.  I needed a vacation.

{This post is sponsored by the super awesome Insight Retreat and its many awesome sponsors}

Thankfully one was already planned for me, and I didn’t have to lift a finger to plan it.

 

A few weeks ago Kim from the Educator’s Spin On It announced she was coming to Texas, and would any Texas bloggers like to get together for a mini-retreat (FYI, for any bloggers in the states reading this Kim travels a lot for her husband’s business, and she has plans to do more of these)?  “YES!” I typed as soon as I got the Facebook notification, I knew I was reaching a breaking point, and I knew I needed a break.

 

And I got just the break I needed.  I didn’t have to make any decisions on where to eat because it was all planned for me, and let me tell you, my family was crazy jealous as I shared all the pictures in my Instagram and Facebook.

 

Bless you @hotelvalenciarw and @bakery_lorraine for hot tea and my favorite treat strawberries and whipped cream #insightretreat

A photo posted by Ticia (@ticiam) on Jun 16, 2016 at 7:08am PDT

I spent a wonderfully relaxing night at the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk ( think I might have been there before for my 5 year anniversary, it was gorgeous).  It was amazing to sleep and not have young children coming down at some ungodly early hour of the morning cheerfully getting ready for the day  (I know that’s not fair to the kids, I’m just not a morning person, as they will all attest).

 

I was spoiled with delicious breakfasts from Bakery Lorraine, and the Citrus hotel (I wish I could make food like this, but that is NOT where my skill lies, as my recipe posts will routinely attest).  And as I talked with my newfound friends, and learned I found myself unwinding.

I looked at the pastries Bakery Lorraine made and thought about Batman’s plans to become a chef when he grows up, and realized this would make an amazing field trip for him.  He would love to interview a chef.  Also, I stand absolutely zero chance of teaching him how to make those pastries.  ZERO chance.  But, a field trip here would give him ideas on how to learn.

 

A photo posted by Ticia (@ticiam) on Jun 16, 2016 at 8:33pm PDT

I ate at Fogo de Chao and was reminded of some pretty special anniversary meals with my husband, a Mother’s Day we came there one year (by the way totally go there for Mother’s Day, no one thinks Brazilian Barbecue for Mother’s Day, and it wasn’t super crowded), we ate dinner here when my brother and his wife announced her first pregnancy.  It holds lots of memories.  Also my daughter was incredibly jealous because this is her FAVORITE restaurant.

 

A photo posted by Ticia (@ticiam) on Jun 17, 2016 at 11:33am PDT

We ate at Nao, and I learned all about culinary schools and how they work, and I have more plans for Batman.  Seriously this retreat gave me so many ideas on how to help him out for his future schooling.  Ths is where I made Batman insanely jealous because he wanted to see how the school and the restaurant works.  Don’t worry Batman, I’ll bring you down to visit it, and the manager is amazingly nice, and was willing to talk about a tour someday.

I rode on the San Antonio river boat thanks to Passport San Antonio and the Visitor’s Bureau. and got a fun history lesson, which got my creative juices inspired (see, it wasn’t all ideas for the kids).  There’s some amazing history down there, and my kids are at the perfect age to enjoy it.  I’ve got plans for about 20 field trips down to San Antonio now, and I’ll be using the passport or the San Antonio Go City card to save money as I go on these field trips (how did I forget all the cool stuff in San Antonio?  I took Texas history, ok it was taught by a coach who had just moved to Texas, and it was the only class in my education career that I almost failed, but still….).   I have plans to come down to San Antonio with my daughter while the boys are in summer camp in a few weeks to go do all the girly stuff the boys would hate.

 

I took a lot of pictures on that river boat, but they’re odd things.  Like ducks, because Princess loves ducks, and I knew she would love seeing the ducks on the River Walk.  Or the giant Aztec mask, because it looked so cool.  And plants, for some reason all of the plant pictures intrigued me as we were riding.  I have these theories of learning to draw still life or something like that.

 

One last bit of inspiration for Batman, when we ate at Citrus for breakfast I was thinking, I need to teach Batman how to present materials.  I’m not good at that.  Well, I try, but it doesn’t turn out anywhere near as pretty as their presentation.

 

But most of my inspiration and my learning came from the retreat itself.  I learned from “super bloggers” who did presentations, and gave me so many ideas, but I also learned from the other bloggers at my level.  They all had great ideas, and were doing some different things I hadn’t thought to do.

 

Now, let’s translate this to the Mom who is overwhelmed, 3 tips for you

 

You are probably not going on a blogging retreat.  In my over five years of blogging this is the first time I’ve gone to one.  But, let’s think about some things you can do.

 

1. Are you a homeschooling Mom?  Go to a homeschool convention.  A few years ago I went to a local convention, ironically enough it was in San Antonio as well.  I got so much inspiration and ideas from the talks, and none of them were from big name vendors, most of them were just moms in the trenches like me.
2. Do you have a hobby?  One of my friends from church goes on a scrapbooking retreat every year.  It’s a group of about 10 moms and they all get together once a year for this retreat, and they work on scrapbooks, and talk without the stress of the every day life.
3. Or are you an introvert like me and being with people doesn’t appeal?  Maybe look for a friend who you can swap kid-watching duties with for an entire day, and you have an empty house for a day.  One of the most amazing times I had was when my husband took the kids up to visit his parents for a weekend, and I had the house to myself.  I ran around our house like a squirrel trying to decide all of the amazing things to do.  I sewed an entire outfit, I wrote, I binge watched Deep Space 9.  It was amazing.

 

The important thing is to find the way you recharge.  You will be a better wife and mother for it.  I came home after that weekend and had the mental fortitude to encourage my kids in the way they needed.