I never expected that my favorite travel experience with my family would be something so low-key, but I guess that’s how life surprises you.
For the first time since becoming a family of four over a year ago, we ventured out of Dallas for a little road trip to San Antonio in March.
While this was a far cry from our usual trips to the coast to see family and friends and our more exotic vacations, we were excited for a change of scenery and to take a break from the mental load of the past year.
Although my preschooler had already flown 8 times by his first birthday, my little one had barely left our house since he was born last February. I was nervous and out of practice. But once we sorted out the details of the booking and planned our drive, I packed for a quiet week at a nice resort and allowed myself to get excited for a break from cooking and cleaning.
The trip ended up being so much more wonderful than I could’ve imagined!
I’m shocked by how much fun the four of us had just being somewhere new together for the first time.
There were no crazy outings, no plane rides, not a ton of sightseeing.
But there was rest and relaxation and laughter. There was swimming and fresh air. We ate delicious food on sunny patios. We read outside while sipping lemonade. Come sunset, we made and devoured s’mores at a fire pit. There were no distractions, and we had each others’ full attention.
The profound joy and privilege of taking a break with my favorite people after a sustained period of sacrifice and struggle is something I will never forget.
Yes, we enjoyed the sights and the resort and the Tex-Mex. San Antonio is a great place. But the mere fact that our only goal was to be together and have fun was nothing short of revolutionary. This little getaway recalibrated my expectations in the best way and reminded me that plans don’t have to be complicated to breathe new life into you. Sometimes the joy comes from the simplicity itself.
