Dear Reader,
I must confess, a slow paced lifestyle is my absolute favorite. It is when I feel my most controlled, centered, and clear minded. Let’s just say that me and my adrenaline rarely interact unless absolutely necessary and I work very hard to keep it that way. Some enjoy an adrenaline rush...I do not!
“Slow down in your pursuit of happiness and it's more likely to catch up with you.”
Ernie J. Zelinski
Now being the committed homebound introverted lady that I am who barely seeks outside of my comfy boundaries (unless otherwise necessary) does on occasion enjoy a change of scenery. And a little weekend getaway tends to usually do the trick for me. Especially when meadows, porches with swings, and friendly furry friends are part of the package.
Now I do realize that everybody’s idea of slowing down can be quite different. I know it is in our family. Our family of five includes: two that enjoy the slower things in life and require more down time than not, two that enjoy and seek non-stop high and fast paced action, and one that appreciates and relishes on both sides of the spectrum. So as you can imagine vacations together can be quite tricky sometimes.
So in order to accommodate everyone’s needs for their idea of a vacation we do require some coordination and planning. And in some cases some warning or adjustments for any required mental or emotional preparation. And on top of that our oldest son has special needs; therefore even more preparation and adjustment goes without saying. In other words, team work and flexibility is essential! By the way, needing a vacation to recover from vacation is very real...just saying!
All the sudden this song came to mind...so let’s take a moment, shall we?
...ok, so back to slowing down...
Recently our family kicked off our summer with my idea of a vacation. :) A slower paced getaway to the countryside at a cozy Airbnb on a farm in Waller, Texas. Everyone was informed ahead of time that our only intentions during this time away together was to unwind, relax, swim, and simply enjoy each other’s company all within the property where we were staying. So we did just that...we swam, we lounged, we ate, we read, we explored, we played, we even managed a little night time hide and seek around the farm. Well I say ‘we’ as in everyone, but me. Hide and seek freaks me out in general (remember the whole adrenaline thing?), so the idea of playing hide and seek in the dark on foreign grounds amongst all the spiders, snakes, and whatever other night critters was a no-go for me. I read my book inside on my bed and prayed the whole time for the safety of my family.
Well I’m happy to report that our time together was wonderful! Everyone survived and dare I say even thrived. Understanding our intention going into the vacation really helped pave the way for such a successful getaway. We all came back refueled with a refreshed outlook and appreciation for the many blessings we share together as well as a clarity for what truly matters most in life. James and I are already talking about going back again when another dose of simplicity is in order.
I did manage to capture some special moments during our stay on camera. Some were taken on my film point and shoot, some on my digital Sony A6000, and some on my phone. Please enjoy my photo diary from our family mini getaway to the countryside.
Thank you so much for your visit here. Until next time.
Love,
I absolutely loved this whole photo diary. Really liked the house and especially the porch.