NYC

Last Thursday morning, I said goodbye to my boys as I dropped them off at school and drove to Boston.

Boston is where my sister lives.

That evening, after I got to spend some time with my gorgeous nieces and nephews (they call my "Aunt Lornie" - I love that), my sister Susan and I took the train to NYC.

Sister's weekend!!!  WOOHOO!!!

We were staying with her amazing mother-in-law, Ellen, who I love, so everything was perfect.  We woke up Friday morning, caught up with Ellen, and then ventured out into the city.

We walked everywhere.  One of my all time favorite things to do is to walk walk walk around a city that I love and take in the sights, the people, the shops, the buildings.

Over the next three days we would have the best time I've had in a loooong time.  We saw friends we hadn't seen in a while - those kind of really good friends who make your soul happy.  We went to the Met for a beautiful gown exhibit inspired by ancient Chinese robes.  We saw a show that still makes me laugh when I think about it - being in a theatre, by itself, makes me happy, then throw on top of that 2 1/2 hours of laughter.  Amazing.  We ate delicious food without a caloric care in the world.

I did have a minor anxiety attack in Times Square, and we promptly left - that place has become such a zoo I can't stand it.  But even that didn't stop me from a mini zumba moment as I heard a familiar song in a bodega as we were buying water.

The best part about the whole thing was spending that time with my sister.  It's just easy and fun, and I didn't realize how much I needed it until I was in the middle of it.

Parenting is hard.  Parenting special needs requires a delicate touch and a constant dance to find the perfect balance within every day.  Walking away from it, even for a few days, shows me how tiring the whole process really is, and how much energy I exert on a daily basis.

Please understand that I wouldn't change a thing - we Jordans are a well oiled machine - but it is a lot of work.  And I was tired.  I just didn't know how tired until I got home.

Which tells me that some changes are in order.  I need to find a better way of nurturing myself while I am here.  Maybe that's more dinners out with friends, more date nights with Sean, more quiet walks by myself, who knows.  But it is definitely a good reminder that in order to take care of everyone in this house the way they deserve to be taken care of, I have to take care of myself first.  The past year has been a huge one in our family, with TJ starting high school and Peter becoming a teenager, and I somehow let my daily well being slip a little.  Not a lot, but definitely a little.

So now I move forward, with wonderful NYC sister memories in my head, and a drive to do better here, for everyone.

But especially for myself.