We have four kids, and I wouldn't change that for anything. Our children are each so precious and unique. But, having four kids in four years means that sometimes, people get lost in the shuffle. It is low-level simmering chaos most of the time, and other times, the pot boils over into full blown crazy. I'm just gonna tell you that when it is totally nuts, parenting feels really difficult. The number of issues feels high and the number of parents to deal with those issues feels far too low.
Having the chance to take one child on a birthday trip was such a gift to us all. I remembered the joys of parenting. We had fun! We came back more refreshed than when we left. The whole experience was sort of unbelievable.
Lily is our oldest, and a lot of responsibility falls on her shoulders. She is mostly loving and patient with her siblings (though they all get under each other's skins plenty). She is helpful and kind. This trip we were reminded of what a great traveler she is and how much she enjoys going on an adventure. She was also completely up for the challenge of 4 parks in a day and rocked it almost every step (over 30,000 of them!) of the way.
This trip took us all out of our norm in a beautiful way. Obviously, there was the fun of visiting Disney World. But the novelty of being able to focus on one child and ask questions and listen to the whole answer over several days was unforgettable. It was a great reminder that we need to emulate this on a small scale more regularly.
At 10, there is still a lot of innocence in our girl, and I'm forever grateful. The world is full of things she doesn't know or understand yet. But slowly and surely, she is learning and growing. She is noticing, and it is spectacular to watch. She appreciates beauty and delights in small things.
Lily is witty and has an unusual sense of humor, and we found ourselves genuinely laughing a lot. Like I said, John and I were really amazed at just how enjoyable the entire experience was. I had time to notice these things, because my attention was not divided. I also remembered that I am normally a friendly, chatty person when I travel. When I travel with our whole family, I usually cannot see past us. But with a smaller contingent, I can take deeper breaths and engage others around us and notice more.
So thankful for these unforgettable moments and treasured experiences. None of us will forget this long weekend. I'm thankful to have four children, and also so thankful to have had the opportunity to peel one off for a while. Here's to having a child in double digits and cherishing the time we have together!
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