This week has been significant to me in many ways. Last week, I took my second annual mom vacation. Even during this pandemic, I was able to sneak away for a week with some girl friends and just relax.

Don’t get me wrong, I take vacations with my family every year, too, but this is different. Even when I’m at the beach or in a cabin, I still have take care of my family. “Mom” mode never turns off. Kids still need to be fed, cleaned, and entertained. Only when I go with my friends do I really not have to worry about anyone else except for myself.

Even while I was gone, I still talked to the kids and to my husband. On the way home, I worried about what kind of workload I would face. Would the house be a disaster? Would my fridge be completely wiped out of all food? I will give my husband great credit. The house was cleaner than I left it, they did activities outside out of the house, and didn’t order out nearly as much as I thought he would. He surprised me and I love him more for it, and I think he has a deeper appreciation for all I do around the house too. 🙂 A win, win situation if I do say so myself!

Another sweet homecoming occurred this week. My little business, Jazzercise Tyrone, returned to its home at the Recreation Center. We worked out an agreement with our landlord to allow us to return as long as we followed the state’s protocols for Covid-19. After three very long months of being closed, we held our first class this past Monday. I had the privilege of teaching this class.

This class was so special. To me, it felt like a family reunion. We were able to meet, greet, and catch up. Ladies settled into their favorite “spots.” Everything felt so familiar and yet new again.

That’s the beauty of group fitness. Yes, we are there to sweat and be healthy and leave stronger, but it’s the friendship… the camaraderie… family that keeps us connected and moving. We encourage one another. We motivate each other. We push through that cardio curve even when your legs don’t want to lift any more because we struggle together. You can’t replace family with online workouts. That connection is what keeps me going.

So this has been a super hectic week for me. Crazy in schedule? Yes. Exhausting after being off for a week and having to jump back on it? Absolutely! But I wouldn’t trade it for the world! I have returned to both my families (physical and adopted), and my love for both of them is so much deeper than before I left.