Unofficial Sabbaths

A while back in our family's developmental history we went through a period where we were pretty religious about "Sabbathing" on Sundays. Not that we performed all the traditional Sabbath rituals, but we set the day aside for rest, family-only time, space for reflection and enjoyment. The kids were still at school and so we were not getting much quality time with them in the week, and ZooDaddy and I were feeling pretty burnt out. Those Sundays were literally life-saving.

As the family has evolved, though, the focus has shifted. The kids have grown up and their social needs are increasing. Most Sundays they go off with friends after church, or we gain extra kids. ZooDaddy and I have become less strict about catching up on work on Sundays because we're learning to live restfully during the week, and so feel less burnt out.

This Sunday, however, for some reason none of the kids visited or invited friends. ZooDaddy and I were feeling lazy, and no deadlines were looming, and so, spontaneously, this Sunday turned into one of those traditional Sabbath-Sundays. We cooked and ate together. We played in the pool together. ZooDaddy got a bit silly (which is unusual and VERY loved by the kids). It was a perfect day.

It's not something I feel we need to impose religiously again, but it was a reminder of how much fun we can still have when it's just us. LadyLol declared it to be her "The Best Sunday Ever". I'm sure there's a degree of hyperbole there, but it's good to know that as she and the others grow and explore their own separateness from the family, that they still appreciate the moments when we're "just us".