I volunteered to plan a ladies retreat, then someone was going to plan a bigger one in another country, then that got nixed and I got asked. With gusto I planned a trip for seven ladies, all moms of 2-6 kids (numbering 25 kids in all, with one on the way! WHOA).
In other words, we all needed a little 'respite', a little 'rest', a little 'down time', something we each rarely get.
When I volunteered, I had various ideas in my brain about the fun of it all, but when it came down to it, the pressure was on. This was the 'first annual' or 'first ever' event for this group of ladies and I could not disappoint! Not to mention it was in an unfamiliar city to us all and the logistics itself was a little daunting at first. I was also in charge of 'smoothness'.
But these ladies are fabulous and flexible and patient, and I asked them many ideas, and even though I did feel some pressure about it all, in the end, I knew it would be just what the Father would have for us, no matter how smoothly or messy it went!
Here was the other clincher: This was David's absolute busiest time of the year. I mean if ever there was a time I needed to be home it was this time.
We had a guest for three weeks helping David. He didn't stay with us, but he was at our house a lot and almost every meal. That sounds stressful. He was probably one of the easiest and best guests we have ever had. He became like a part of our family for thosethree weeks. He has five kids, so he knows the drill, he has lived in China a long time, and had some incredible stories to share. They had planned the three week help and then I planned the retreat around that. Then they changed their dates. David assured me it would be fine. And so I planned accordingly, with guilty feelings still lingering.
I made: two loaves of banana bread, six loaves of poppy seed bread, 8 loaves of pumpkin gingerbread (all for David to take to work these three weeks, though I was only going to be gone 5 days), froze Lasagna, chicken pot pie, and arranged our kids to go to school all day and our helper to be here whenever David was not (which would be almost all day, every day). All of that was easier said than done. In the end we decided that Sophia would carpool with a neighbor morning and afternoon. And to avoid David having to take/pick up/take/pick up Tobin and Bella, I planned their afternoon time at home, giving our Ayi many ideas to keep them occupied and out of trouble.
Meanwhile I was trying to come up with the best options for an encouraging time with the Ladies. We had one lady, our 'leader' so to speak, coming from Thailand, who would encourage us in the word, everyone else was traveling in-country. I made the reservations, tweaked the rooms (two ladies were bringing babies), made sure there was a place to meet, etc. One lady volunteered to play guitar for us, and the 'sessions' would be facilitated by me but led by others.
One of the ladies, and close friend, G, came up with the great idea of having a friend of ours who lives in the retreat city lead a session on 'organizing your home' because she is a master at it. I started discussing this with E as an option and she agreed! Also on the agenda: shopping, eating good western food, games, and rest.
But there was another big stresser: I was driving to the retreat in our team mates car all by myself. I was actually not stressed by the driving itself, though it is UNLIKE driving on an American road (Poppy and CC thought I was crazy for doing this). I was more stressed I would get lost, miss the highway turn and end up in Tibet (literally, since I was headed that way). David printed me a good Google Map and driving directions, the old fashioned way. I packed my snacks and all the other things and decided to leave a full day early. Wednesday morning by 7:30 I was out of the door. My plan was to get there in 5-6 hours, get my bearings around Dali old town, then go into the big town and visit two friends....I would wake up refreshed, have some good down time and then greet those arriving in morning or afternoon, to start the retreat by dinner time.
'My plan' was not 'THE plan' however, and to read about the fun adventure the Father took me on...stay tuned for the Road Trip!
