Squeezing in for a photo on the plane to Denver

I was sort of afraid to leave town. Every year, I go to Denver and visit my family to celebrate our lumped together birthdays at the end of August and early September. This year, I had so much on my plate I dreaded what four days off would do to my life.

It was the best break ever.

I slept. I played. I read a really great book. The kids had so much fun with their cousins, and getting out of Kansas City, to a higher and less humid elevation, was a blessing. The air smelled fresh, clean, and full of trees. We saw hummingbirds flit in and graze at the flowers around my brother’s home. The storms that rolled in never stayed longer than 20 minutes. The mountains are always amazing and we spent an entire morning there. It was a great change in scenery.

The work is a bit piled up now that I’m staring the week straight in the face, but you know what, so what. A little stress won’t hurt, and I am ready to get back into the swing of life. I’m happy to be home. My husband surprised me with a clean house, which was also a pretty great break.

Lesson Learned: when worries sneak up and you’re afraid to leave, sometimes the best way to get your creative juices flowing again is just say yes. Leave town. Switch up your environment and breathe a bit. Sigh.

I’m happy, and now it’s full steam ahead.