From Sunset to Sunrise…

 I’ve come to accept that Paulus family vacations will not be chalk full of rest, but I must say we’ve come a long way from our days when three of them were in diapers and I had to pack for everyone. Back then, I felt exhausted before we even left by the time I had collected, organized, rolled and fit in all the clothes, toys, shoes, meds, and other into each of the girls’ bags. Now my girls are old enough to pack for themselves. Hallelujah!! I can honestly say that I had no idea if my four year old packed enough underwear before we left for Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. But she loves clothes, so I just counted on her having plenty of everything. That’s my diva-girl! I was bound to get at least one with four daughters!I think the age old pursuit of R&R is rarely captured once you have little ones. And sometimes even when you don’t have kids. Because Americans in general don’t vacation enough, so when we do, we try to pack in a lot of seeing, doing, and living into one or two weeks. Some of us even carry a check list of MUST Do and MUST Sees to ensure we don’t miss anything. 

Where the Island Ends…

Went to the city to meet up with my college roomie! Hadn’t seen each other in ten years. With husbands and kids in the mix, it only made sense to head to Central Park for a gorgeous New York afternoon of play and catch-up. What I love about Central Park is how in the midst of one of the busiest cities in the world, there’s this carve out of grass, park benches, bike paths, gardens, miniature lakes, and playgrounds that make for a perfect pit stop before diving into the next week of hustle and bustle. The West Side sandbox park was perfect for the age ranges of all our kids, and while Sarah was climbing up a stairwell, and then the railing, I heard her squeal, “I’m on top of the world!”

Got me thinking. What is it about reaching the peak or finding the end or touching the bottom that appeals to us as humans? Why do we often journey till we reach a limit? 
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