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Retreat!



One month ago today, we welcomed two new beauties into our home and family through foster care. Going from a mom of two to the mom of four overnight pretty much rocked my world. There have been lots of changes I expected, but one change that I had not expected was my sudden reluctance to leave home. In all honesty, I became afraid of taking all four kids places with me. The grocery store, restaurants, and even church became places that produced anxiety as I tried to figure out how to manage the bickering, disobedience, requests, and wandering of four little people all at once outside of the safe confines of our home.  

On Sunday, Matt and I decided to take the day off from our regular responsibilities. We had the opportunity to go to Tennessee and celebrate my nephew's decision to follow Christ in baptism, and we took it, even made a full day of it. All six of us worshiped together, celebrated together, and then ventured out to the zoo to have fun together. Admittedly, I was nervous. I was expecting the entire trip to end in a flurry of tears, screaming, and exhaustion. Much to my surprise, our trip back to Alabama was filled with little girl giggles, silliness, and singing, and a new found connectedness as a family.

What happened in just one day that changed our family dynamic, that bonded us in a new way? We retreated. We stepped away from the everyday routine and busyness of life and embraced adventure, fun, and new experiences as a family. Merriam-Webster defines the word "retreat" as "movement by soldiers away from an enemy because the enemy is winning or has won a battle". I didn't realize that the enemy was winning the battle for real, close connections in our home until I stepped away and saw what could be. In October, our family will retreat for two days as part of The Brook's Family Retreat. I am again a little nervous about how we will meet all the needs our family has right now in this unfamiliar setting, but unlike last week, I am now also incredibly excited to experience all the new things together and hear the excited chatter and giggling from four little girls who are learning to be a family. I am excited to talk to them about all the new things they see, hear, or conquer. I am approaching this expecting that God will draw us to Him and each other in a new way as we retreat with expectation and intentionality.     

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