Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Retreatville here I come!!!!

It's finally here! The day I leave for my 'retreat'.

I am pretty much packed and all set to go. I've got comfy clothes, a bathing suit, my attire for the wedding reception Wally and I are going to the day my retreat is over. (We decided since it's a fair distance away we'd just get a room and stay the night - hence me needing to be prepared for more days than originally planned).

I even packed all of my meals for the next two and a half days and put them in a travel cooler to ensure that I would be eating 'clean' and healthy while away. Wally and I have hit a plateau with our fitness goals, which is really a result of hitting a plateau with the desire to eat well. With renewed determination I planned ahead and am set to bust through.

I have a bag packed full of books and movies. I've got a fiction novel by an author I've never read before, a couple books to help with my healthy eats learnin', an empty journal, my fisher price Bible (written in layman's language cause right now that's all I can absorb), a little Catholic Prayer book recommended by a friends for reflection, some note paper, a few thank you cards, a new book that I bought for this time a way (a memoir) and a book I'm in the middle of called 'Remember the Sweet Things' about a couple doing the marriage thing and making it work.

As for movies: I brought a thoughtful one (I've never seen) I'm sure will be hard to watch, an 'old faithful' one I could watch a hundred times and will still love, a romantic comedy I haven't seen in a while and a dramody that I rarely get enough time to sit down and watch but I enjoy.

I also have my camera, the laptop (for blog use only), my GPS (which apparently won't work anyways), my workout clothes and running shoes, and ... I'm considering brings some of the flowers I got for grad yesterday (and putting water tubes at the stems) so I get a chance to enjoy them. We'll see how my time pans out. I still have to wrap and address the skanky wedding gift I bought for Friday night.

I got them 'The Joy of S. E. X.' (it's not actually spelled like that but if I don't do this I'll get lots of creepy people who google it reading)- a spin off from 'The Joy of Cooking' book everyone gets when they get married. I have to say when I got my 'Joy of Cooking' book at one of my showers I went home and looked through and really wondered how versatile this manual was. Come on, when am I going to be needing to know how to skin a rabbit or squirrel? I figured why not give them a different essential manual?

On our way home from the book store yesterday I learned why. Because 'The Joy of S. E. X.' (in my opinion) has the same versatility as what I saw in 'The Joy of Cooking', at least from my less agile, and more conservative point of view. I briefly thought I made a mistake, then decided ah they'll understand when it's coming from me. Wally quickly told me his name would be found no where on that gift.

I did redeem myself and buy a large journal with a nice quote on the front for them to put somewhere in their home where they will both walk by it every day and write each other fun little notes. I had this idea the other day and decided that Wally and I should try this too. Maybe we will when I get back.

I have conflicting expectations about my retreat. I have one fear that I'll get there and go stir crazy being secluded for a whole two days.

Then on the other hand I worry I won't have enough time to reach another life changing epiphany. You know, cause honestly that's what I'm always wanting (and to be honest I get lots in simple ways when I do slow down).

Really I know I need to relax and let go of all of my expectations and just be. Be with God. Be with me. Just be.

Pray that I'll do that. Pray that I'll let go. Pray that I'll see what I'm supposed to, even if it's just the simplest thing.

We'll see. Maybe I won't blog, maybe I will. I'm going to really try and be sensitive to what I'm feelin' I should do.

Either way I will definitely share what I learn, even if it's just that I miss my husband more than I thought or have an unhealthy attachment to my favourite dog Sweet (he's been gone since yesterday, along with Sour, to my parents while I'm gone, and I miss him sooooo much!!!).

Well, see you on the other side!

Retreating,

Eva :)