Ben Is Going to Maui and I'm Going to...Sleep?

Ben is off to Maui with his dad tomorrow. I know. He JUST came home from Italy. The charmed life of a six-year-old. What can I say except for...

If he comes home with jet lag and pneumonia, there will be hell to pay!

We've had two weeks of unstructured spring break time and I'm happy to have a little time to decompress from single mommy-ing. Actually, I'm pretty darned relieved because after ingesting the poison, I mean, medication for migraines last month, I still haven't found my way out of the fog.

I saw my doctor about it. She ordered up a full run of lab tests to see if the medication might have kicked my thyroid out of commission or depleted my kidneys of their ability to flush toxins. I'm THAT tired.

Looking at my schedule, I noticed that there were some opportunities to take time off after Ben left. At first I tried to talk myself out of it. But by this morning, when I hauled myself out of bed, only to put a movie on for Ben and go BACK to bed - on a weekday, no less - I knew that I needed to do this. I'm THAT tired.

We had a full day together - Ben and I. A friend took him to Bounce Town this morning while I worked. I picked him up and we went to the aquarium. Then to feed the ducks at the park. Then to Peet's (because at 2pm, I was THAT tired), then to my doctor. The doctor walked in. "You look exhausted," she said. "Really?" I asked. "I put on eyeliner and curled my eyelashes. Are you saying that I didn't need to?"

And then it was back to work for me. My clients said, "Ohhhh, time off? You must be going for more training!" "Well, no," I said. "I need a little rest, I think." One of the clients looked right at me. "Do you think?!" she retorted. Am I THAT tired in front of my clients?

I think that sometimes it's good to take a little time off with no expectations or plans. No promises or commitments. I told myself that I would do exactly would I would like with this time, as the moment dictated - without any "shoulds" (as in - should find a major house project to attack) or "coulds" (could take three pilates classes each day and drive to the city for yoga at least once). None of that.

A teacher friend of mine recently took a month off from teaching and called it her recess. I like that. In fact, I hear the bell ringing right now...