I don't remember much about my Spring Breaks as a child. I'm guessing they involved playing Barbies, choreographing music videos to every Debbie Gibson song on the radio, and riding bikes all over my neighborhood.
The only thing I remember for sure is that my grandmother spent Spring Break at our house. Now I loved my Mimi, but bless her heart, she was a bit of a nervous Nelly . . . so much so that when I went out riding bikes, she wanted me to come back and ring the doorbell every five minutes so she would know I was still alive. The main problem with this plan was that I lived on a hill. I had very short legs back then (you know, as opposed to now when I have legs like Gisele), so once I rode down to meet my friends, it literally took me five minutes for my little legs to pedal my bike back to the top of the hill and confirm my safety. Get In Shape Girl ain't got nothin' on Mimi's hill workouts!
Fast forward to Spring Break 2017. As this year's Spring Break approached, I started planning all the fun and exciting things the boys and I could do during the week. I wanted this week to be jam-packed with magic and memories, the kind the boys would always remember.
It only took me until Tuesday to realize I wasn't having any fun.
We were in the middle of dying Easter eggs when I figured out why. I was so busy trying to dye the perfect eggs for the perfect Easter centerpiece to make the perfect memory, I was missing out on the pure joy Jackson found mixing all of the colors together into a "potion" that fizzed when he added vinegar.
Then, when I realized three of the eggs we were going to dye had cracked, I was so disappointed because the day just wasn't going like I had planned. That's when a four year old, who is way smarter than I am, came up with the idea for us to use those "ruined" eggs to make egg salad and then have a picnic in the back yard. From the mouths of babes . . .
Right then and there, I decided I would let Jackson lead the way and tell me how to make the egg salad like he did at school, and I didn't even stop him when I thought he was adding a little too much mustard. In other words, I stopped trying to control every little detail. Watching those chubby little hands peel the eggs- a task I didn't even know he could do- will be one of those memories forever etched in my mind.
When we finished making the egg salad, Jackson tasted it and declared, "Oh yeah, it's perfect." And it really was. Once I let go of all of the pressure I had put on myself to create the "perfect" Spring Break, I actually relaxed and had a perfect Spring Break.
I didn't end up changing any of my plans for Spring Break- we still tried out a new park, ate at the boys' favorite Mexican restaurant, picked strawberries, and spent time with friends and family. What I did change was my attitude toward Spring Break. Instead of trying to orchestrate all of these magical experiences, I started appreciating the little moments. Once I got out of my own way, I was able to let the week unfold the way it was supposed to and truly enjoy my time with the boys.
Turns out, my girl Debbie Gibson was right way back in 1987 . . . sometimes the most memorable experiences really do come Out of the Blue.Labels: family, mom