A few days prior, Josh asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day.

I was pleasantly surprised that he asked.  So, since he did, I answered:

1. I want to sleep in.
2. I want breakfast in bed.
3. I want a card that you put time and thought into.
4. I want a massage.
5. And when we go out with extended family for a celebratory lunch on Mother's Day, I don't want to sit next to my daughter.

"WHAT?" you may be asking, "You don't want to sit next to your daughter on Mother's Day??  Who says that?!"

I do.

When I am with my daughter (which is a great majority of my time), I am on duty.  I'm entertaining.  I'm answering questions.  I'm telling her to sit down.  I'm finding her cup.  I'm looking at the children's menu.  I'm cleaning up spills.  She's pulling on my hair, my arm, my shirt.  She's kissing my sleeve with a food covered face.  She's crawling in my lap.  She's tipping her chair.  She's dropping crayons.  She's drawing on the wall.  She's grabbing a knife.

The above is not an exaggeration.  It is the norm.

There's nothing relaxing about it.  It's stressful.  And exhausting.  And I wanted a break from it.

And, for the most part, I got what I asked for.

I didn't get to "sleep in" per se, but at least I wasn't the default to deal with a boisterous toddler at 7 in the morning.

Josh then had a little helper in the kitchen while he made coffee and crepes (YUM!) and served me in bed.

I received a meaningful card from hubby and a homemade card from Catherine, both very appropriate.

No word on the massage yet, but I'm ok with that, especially considering the cost.

And I got to spend most of our lunch three seats away from my daughter!  I got to enjoy eating my food on my own time table.  I got to have uninterrupted conversations with those around me, which is probably one of the greatest losses for me since having a child.  And I even managed to finish the meal without any food stains being added to my attire!

As an added bonus, I got flowers!




Thank you, Josh, for asking, for listening, and for all you did to grant my wishes and make me feel special.

I just opened up my laptop for the first time in three and a half days.

For me, THAT IS A BIG DEAL.

We spent a few days away.  It wasn't actually that far away.  But it was off the grid.

No wifi.  No internet.  No landline.  No cell service.

You could occasionally get a text message out or in if you so chose.  But I did not make that choice.

I was blissfully away.

And what did I miss?

Apparently there was a local earthquake.
And Princess Kate had her baby.

Anything else?

Um...

I'm not sure.  I haven't yet searched any news sites.
Or my newsfeed.
Still living blissfully.
Not ready to get back on the grid.

Even my fitbit battery died overnight, so I've been fitbit free today.

Maybe it's ok to be disconnected.

Off and on for the last few months I've contemplated canceling our internet service.

It's continually increasing in price and decreasing in speed - or so it seems.

We live in a technologically driven culture.  But that doesn't have to be the way I choose to live my life.

Unfortunately, if it's there, it's my default.
And I tend to just consume so much when I'm open to it.
We tend to be so wrapped up in what's going on online and miss what's going on in front of us.

What's more important:  what the proverbial Jones are doing and posting or what my three year old daughter is doing and saying and observing and interpreting?

I briefly checked facebook this afternoon to check on a friend who was in the hospital recently.  In the two minutes or so that I was online I happened to see a friend lamenting how the whole Star Ways Day posts ("May the Fourth be with you") were getting old.  And I blissfully realized I hadn't seen anything about it.

You can avoid a lot by staying off the grid.
You can gain a lot by staying off the grid.