Mother's Day

If there's one thing I have a hard time learning, it's to STOP setting expectations!!!! URGG!!
I had plans of getting up a little earlier to go to the 9am service at church (usually go at 11am). Well, those Bloody Mary's knocked me out a little too much, I woke up at 8:59am! So! I made the best of it and while ALL the boys were still sleeping, I snuck out to the pool side and laid in a chair and read my chapter for the day. Love Is Responsible. My dare was to take time to pray through my areas of wrongdoing. ask for God's forgiveness, then humble myself enough to admit it to my spouse. Then, I'm suppose to ask for his forgiveness, no matter how he reacts. The fact that I'm an open book, and that Alex doesn't like to hear about anything to do with my life before him, this poses to be either an extreme challenge or an unnecessary dare. The good thing is that I have nothing that I have done "wrong" in my relationship with Alex, that deems forgiveness. Of course I've done things that aren't necessarily "right", but NEVER anything WRONG!!!!
So, it is Mother's Day today! Funny, we started out a few weeks ago, Alex asking me if we wanted to take off for a couple of days and go to Arizona for Mother's Day. Sounded good to me! Then I thought about the kids and how difficult it would be to go that far in the car, since our movie player in the car is broke! Ick! Then we said maybe we'd go to Catalina! That would be fun! Rent the golf cart, cruise around the island! Well, Alex checked the boat times and knowing US, wasn't going to happen! (left too early!) So, he tells me we should do Newport Beach/Balboa Island. Okay, that sounds fine. I just wanted to relax at a beach, didn't really care where. So, we invited my sister Lauren, whose girls were out of town, picked her up around noon and headed to the OC. We were cruising down the freeway until Corona where the traffic STOPPED! UGGGG!!! The kids hate traffic, I hate traffic and traffic takes SO MUCH TIME!!!.
1 and 1/2 hours later, we arrived on the Toll Road headed toward the beach. Alex decided we'd cut short our Newport drive and do Laguna for lunch. Good idea, until we got to the 2 lane road to Laguna. MORE TRAFFICE! WAAAAA!!! Oh well, we finally arrived, went to an okay restaurant that did have a nice patio. Had a funny European lunch because everyone sitting around us was from Europe!! Lots of "where are you from" conversation! :)
After lunch we all went to get caramel apples!! yummmy!!! We sat on the grass and enjoyed!
Then Alex said, "let's go to Newport now"... that would have sounded good, except I couldn't bare the thought of MORE TRAFFIC!! Driving to Newport wasn't THAT bad, but it was another drive!!!! Oh well... the family is together and that's all that matters... right? NOT that it's Mother's day and I haven't done 1 thing I want or enjoy yet? I guess a true mother is unselfish and does what her husband and kids want to do, right? Still smiling, we headed to Newport. Next question, do I still want to go to Balboa or just to the beach? I said just to the beach! After all, it was already 430 and we'd done nothing but eat and drive. Well, that didn't quite happen either. All of a sudden, there we were, in line for the Balboa Island Ferry! Okay, fun for the kids, but the LINE!!! Next thing I know, Alex takes the boys out and leaves me and Lauren to wait in the line for the Ferry! 6 ferries later, we finally boarded!! We made it across and he almost turned into the fun park when I spoke up, "You guys can go, but I'd like to be dropped at the beach please". So, we all went to the beach at 5pm while the sun was setting and the wind was BLOWING!!! Stayed until a lovely 630 and then decided to get dinner before heading home. I spotted a cool looking Japanese restaurant overlooking the marina. Reluctantly, Alex pulled in and let me have my way. The place was amazing. 2 story restaurant with modern atmosphere, but beach casual. Turns out the food was amazing, even Alex attested!! YAY! I got to end on a "ME" note! ;) Drive home was fine and got a great night sleep! Next year, I'll look forward to NOTHING, then I will be so excited to do what ever Alex feels to do! :) Is that a brat of me? Okay, Love Dare, I forgive him and love him and realize he had a day off with his family, so he wanted to do something that he'd enjoy! I hope he did! :) xoxo