this weekend was our family retreat. my very favorite weekend of the year!
this year we decided to stay in town rather than renting a cabin in the woods. because december was so busy with holiday travel, it was nice to just settle into home. our little farm feels so cozy with our wood burning stove, animals at pasture, a walk down to the pond & a big table for feasting. we all agreed that it might be nice to just stay here every year.
our family retreat tradition is always shared with luke’s parents & siblings. his parents’ decision years ago to begin this tradition of getting together at the start of every year is one i greatly look forward to & will for certain continue as our little family grows. as always, the activities of the weekend were the same- fun, meaningful & relaxing.
we spent time outdoors together, but this year’s added bonus of goat kids made our weekend even sweeter. we played family games (my first time playing settlers of catan! i lost miserably) & enjoyed delicious meals around the table. we reflected on 2013 & the many adventures & disappointments it held for our family.
we also looked into 2014 with intention. individually we made goals & commitments for the new year, but we also did this as a family. as luke & i spent a couple of hours together envisioning what 2014 might look like for our family, i realized that we hadn’t done this in some time.
when we first married & we were learning what life looked like together, we discussed our goals often. as years have passed & we have grown busier, we have let these conversations go. not intentionally, of course, but more so absentmindedly. we still have goals together as a family, but this last year has made it incredibly difficult to focus on where we are going when each day we feel so tired with the balance of our work life & the farm. it was so good, so healthy, to sit down together & refocus our lives together. i cherish my husband & the threads that weave our lives together as one. this year i want to fight for time together. he is my favorite person after all.
love,
natalie