unplugged.

I have been away from this space.  I have been away from my home.  This summer we packed the kids up in the car and headed on a five week road trip, camping and visiting friends in New York, Michigan, landing in Chicago to spend time with my family and celebrate my younger brother getting married, eventually heading back to New England to spend a week with family in New Hampshire. Road tripping over 3,500 miles with three small children isn't always glamorous, but it was a whole lot of fun.
It was an incredible five weeks, and during that time I made a conscious decision to unplug, completely.  My husband and I do not have cell phones or any handheld devices to speak of, so that was easy.  But I also chose not to get on a computer to check e-mail, or Facebook, or any other distraction that was a daily if not a several times daily habit I had before we left. I spent five weeks unplugged, five weeks enjoying my family and the gifts of a summer on the road, fully.
We are back home now, and have been for a couple of weeks.  We are enjoying the last days of summer and I am slowly plugging back in.  I hope to be writing here again, with regularity, as writing and reflecting on motherhood has proven to be a source of joy for me. I will, however, be more mindful of how I spend my time and where and when I choose to "plug in."  I am hoping to unplug more often to fully embrace the life before me.
And now, some scenes from the road...