I'm back, more relaxed than I thought possible.

Yes, it's true.  I'm back and more relaxed than I thought was possible.

So where did I go, you ask?  Do you remember this view?  I've posted it before.

It is the view from my parents' beautiful unit in Caloundra and yes, I was there all weekend - it was wonderful!!!!

This time though, I wasn't there with family.  Well, not technically.

I was enjoying fellowship and laughter and tears and good meals and long walks and movie-watching and hair-colourings and resting with these 3 beautiful friends.  It was my first 'girls weekend away' for a looooong time, and I am so grateful to Mum and Ray for allowing us the chance to do it in such style! :)  A 5-star weekend, a chance to get to know these women even better, to read, sleep, walk, breathe, dream, reflect and to truly look forward to coming home again.  

We shopped and walked the market streets on Sunday morning.  I even ordered a second coffee at the restaurant breakfast- my first ever "may I have another cappuccino please?" - it was so leisurely, I felt a bit like I was in a movie!

My children had a wonderful weekend with Stuart, doing some special things and just hanging out together- really good one-on-one time for them, rare time.  He did such a brilliant job taking care of them, despite the fact that he came down with the flu on Saturday! :(  He's been home sleeping much of the day today and I have enjoyed taking care of him.  I am so thankful to Stu for giving me the opportunity to have 2 days away.  I know it was really good for me, and he said he enjoyed the weekend with the children.  Even Will did really well.

Just before packing to come home yesterday, I was in the unit by myself when I started praying to God to help me bring home the peace I was feeling.  I wanted to bring home the rejuvinated me, the relaxed, peaceful me.  I looked out over the water and saw this.

Tears came to my eyes as I breathed in the beauty and the reality of our Creator.

God loving me through this personal promise, a rainbow seemingly in the sky just for me.

God saying "Behold, I am with you always." (Matthew 28:20)

And He is.  He is as much here with me in the hustle of caring for many small children as He was in the quiet beauty of my weekend away.

He is SO good to me, and I am so grateful!