The mundane tasks and responsibilities will always be here. There is never escaping the work we have or the house chores that keep piling up (literally twelve loads of laundry). However, this past weekend everything was put aside for time well spent.
Time well spent--a term that I consider moments and memories made with those you love, respect and never want to cease. This term took on greater meaning during medical school and then further more during residency. I counted my lucky stars when Jamie was "existent"; even if that was for an hour. As we became a family of three and then four, it made us appreciate "time well spent" with more regard. (Keep in mind these times were very few and far between.)
So as Memorial Day weekend approached we were beyond excited to spend time with people who are not only family, but true friends. My sister, Colleen and her husband, Andrew traveled over 6.5 hours to see us in Kansas. From the moment they arrived to the moment they left, our entire family was grateful for the UNO games, Lego building, construction of a new basketball hoop and genuine love they gave to James and Henry. This isn't even counting the "adults night out" as we headed to Weston, MO. (If you have never been to Weston, MO, we strongly suggest you do--a quaint little town that will remind you of Galena, IL with southern charm.)
Time well spent--a term that I consider moments and memories made with those you love, respect and never want to cease. This term took on greater meaning during medical school and then further more during residency. I counted my lucky stars when Jamie was "existent"; even if that was for an hour. As we became a family of three and then four, it made us appreciate "time well spent" with more regard. (Keep in mind these times were very few and far between.)
So as Memorial Day weekend approached we were beyond excited to spend time with people who are not only family, but true friends. My sister, Colleen and her husband, Andrew traveled over 6.5 hours to see us in Kansas. From the moment they arrived to the moment they left, our entire family was grateful for the UNO games, Lego building, construction of a new basketball hoop and genuine love they gave to James and Henry. This isn't even counting the "adults night out" as we headed to Weston, MO. (If you have never been to Weston, MO, we strongly suggest you do--a quaint little town that will remind you of Galena, IL with southern charm.)
What makes my heart so happy is when you find two people who you and your husband both sincerely love and enjoy. The conversation comes easy. The views are shared respectfully. And although we may have kids and they don't (yet)--we see eye to eye. And who doesn't love a little brotherly love between two guys who married "Hansen" girls.
After all of this fun was had, we didn't slow down--not in the least. Which gets me to even more "time well spent." As the SeidlScouts, it is only fitting that we take our boys on an adventure! So we traveled to Weston State Park and spent the entire morning exploring, learning the difference between Poison Ivy and regular ol' weeds and riding bikes. (Something I learned: leaves of three, let them be!) Our scout leader (daddy) was fully equipped as he pretended to have a treasure map! As we made our way through the forest, we learned about railroad safety and how to spy on people from across the Missouri River.
Our final destination was a picnic in the park and loads of squeals on the tire swing (a fond memory of Jamie's childhood). But before we could "truly" end our day we had to indulge at the local soda shop. James' choice was Superman ice cream and Henry's was an authentic Vanilla.
It was a day I will certainly never forget and hopefully the boys won't either.
The words "this is what it's all about" came from Jamie's mouth more than once. For those who don't know him, he means it isn't anything fancy or extravagant; instead it is in simplicity where we find the most joy. We both stepped away from this weekend (even after golf on Tuesday) finding that one of our greatest hopes for our boys is the desire for adventure. Our greatest adventure is as a family unit--sharing time well spent without allowing the static or mundane tasks to get the best of us.
A Little Adventure With A Whole Lot Of Love