On our way

(I wrote this Tuesday morning before boarding a plane. I thought I would have time to post….oops. I hope to write more this week as I am pseudo off-the-grid of life J)

At O’Hare airport here, on a rainy Chicago morning.  Thankfully no flights are delayed or cancelled. We are finally on our way to Half Moon Bay, CA. I have worked so much this last week and feel exhausted like I have not been since Jonan was born. My goal has been to get a bunch of work done so I could go with Jeff on his work trip. Basically, I am getting a mini-vacation for free. The catch is I am alone for a majority of the time. The good news about that is that I am about ½ introvert and ½ extrovert…and my introvert is ready for some good time alone. My plan is to have a prayer retreat.  I have with me a book on prayer, a Bible, journal, and a publication called Weavings, on the Christian spiritual life. I have all of the year 2007’s publications. I also intend to walk on (rainy) beach, see the Redwoods, and find some place to do both yoga and some form of art.  If I was not writing this myself I would be coveting someone else’s coming days J

I have a rhythm of going on this type of retreat once a year for 2 or 3 days. I don’t usually get to do this near a beach, however. Last year was the first time in 7 years I missed my retreat; there was a lot of transition and I just never made the time between moving twice, graduate school, changing jobs, and getting pregnant. I noticeably missed it. My heart knows when it gets going too quickly...it has a difficult time slowing itself again.  The quiet center of my life gets crowded with unwelcomed visitors.The inertia of life’s movement takes over and I am not as able to connect with God, my community, and myself. After our lives came to a screeching halt with our January news, my heart slowed down significantly. But I generally have to get away to reach that place. And I am getting away…