Boston Retreat

A few months ago Mark called and said he had an upcoming conference in Boston.  The big question was if I wanted to go with him alone, take one or all of the girls with us.  I was back and forth for several days.  We are studying American History this year and the girls would have LOVED to see first hand some of the places new to their knowledge base.  However, God knew I was really going to need a break once this trip finally arrived.  We decided to take some time away for us (ok, really it was a lot for ME;)  Mark was going to be attending the conference from 7:30 through about 6:00 each day.  I was set to take full advantage of some quiet time to sleep, read, and just be still.  

 Thursday morning, before Mark started attending the lectures,we took some time to see some of Boston.  We walked the Freedom Trail, stopped in a little coffee shop for breakfast, and then walked the wharf.  It was beautiful (and shocking how much I love history now too!) 

Once Mark started attending the conference, I started being still.

 

This is the scene I took in for hours and hours, it was GREAT!   I read an eye opening book, What Women Fear by Angela Smith.  It was a great chance to read, process my thoughts, and pray.  With  a few naps intermingled with more reading I moved onto, Loving the Little Years Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic.  My oldest sister had highly recommended this book a few months ago.  It was a sweet, lite way to evaluate this stage of mothering I am in.  The first paragraph of the book puts it this way, "...if organization and order can still be found in my attitude, we are doing well.  But if my attitude falters, even in the midst of external order,  so does everything else."

 

In the evenings we ate a lot of great food and explored sweet parts of Boston. 

(Our first evening there we had the pleasure of sharing dinner with the new doc, joining Mark's group next month, and his wife. We got to hear their adventurous story of how God has been using them.  We are looking forward to them coming to Greenville.  It will be a relief exciting for the group and great to get to know this neat family better!)

Overall, this was an absolutely needed break from the constant go go go of normal life.  It was fun to relax and think whole thoughts,  to talk to God in the quiet without interruption,  to explore a neat city and great restaurants with this guy...

 

and needless to say laugh a lot!!!

(Do you see how much he looks like that frog behind him?  Really!?)

And we were able to do all this because I knew my gals (who I'm sure needed a break from me too) were having a blast back home- thanks Mom!