Golden Ticket

Relaxed. Someone told me it is Monday, I don’t feel it. Reality is supposedly back but my mind is still accepting the golden haze and lavender scents of last week. All that is floating around me – hungry babies, dinging e-mails, dirty floors, are not affecting me in the stressful grip they often do. I owe this all to my best buddy who sent me on a trip to the spa. I feel like I won a Golden Ticket to the Chocolate Factory. I wrestled for months of who to take or even to go at all.

I chose two of my pals – Heather and Martha. Heather is a sweet and caring friend that is true to her every word. She is kind and trustworthy, a true pal to be there for whatever you might need. She works hard as a momma of two and a real estate guru. But what I love most of all about Heather is her humbleness. She has the height and beauty of a runway model, the eyes of a lifelong compassionate friend, and yet hasn’t a clue that she exudes these qualities. A prayer warrior that brings the angels all around. She often subconsciously has her hands folded and I can’t help but wonder when she isn’t calling on God.

Martha, also a momma of two, is the life of the party! Two wallflowers could have a good time at the spa, but with Martha it is guaranteed. Enthusiastic, fun, great conversationalist, Martha will not let the mood go sour. Where the realist inside me could yammer about this and that, Martha is quick to find the sunshine in the moment. She might jump from topic to topic – squirrel! – but that is half the fun of keeping up with Martha. Energy beyond compare, we strive to keep up with the party Martha is always having. Positive. Lover of life. My friend Martha!

By the time we passed through the tunnel we three mommas felt a collective sigh. We made it. 36 hours of relaxing was on our horizon! We arrived at the spa nearly two hours before our first appointment. Excitement would be an understatement. Escorted down to the ladies locker room where any resemblance to said locker room stopped after “locker”. Smooth river rock tiled the pathways, a Roman style jacuzzi (sans old dudes) welcomed aching muscles to calm as cooled orange infused water refreshed. The time flew by, but not in the sense it felt hurried, it was more accepting the environment around us.

We enjoyed manicures and pedicures. Lunch in big comfy robes in tucked away sun-shining rooms. Massages that were over too soon. We spied from our oasis of fun on a garden wedding below while sipping hot tea. We finally checked a clock after long showers without children pounding on the doors and laughed that seven hours had passed. Seven. If the husbands were on a golden boy campaign there was no doubt in any of our minds that mine won that day.

We moseyed to our hotel room where we gussied up for dinner. Taking our sweet time because we were the only ones we had to get ready. No shoes to find, no bags to pack, no grumbling that we forgot this or that. It was a slow walk in the golden haze our lottery won. Dinner time, followed by a chick flick, these mommas were relaxed and oh so thankful for the fun.

We slept in (ok, we slept until 7ish and then slowly made our way to breakfast by 10.30). Shopping galore where we thought of our children fondly by buying tiny bathing suits and dresses (for the kids, sorry husbands, not for ourselves). Eventually we found our way back to our homes and promised to make the relaxed feeling last as long as possible.

“The mark of a successful man is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it.”  ~Author Unknown