This coming weekend I’ll be camping in a 5-star hotel in Perth City with a gang of other mums of children with special needs. I believe there’s about 200 going to this awesome opportunity for mums to have some respite as well as participate in activities that would help us rediscover ourselves. I’ll be there all day Saturday, staying the night after a posh cocktail dinner and then spending some more time with the ladies on Sunday before we all head on home.
I will benefit greatly from such a break.
I think I will and I feel fortunate to having been included into this fully funded opportunity. I need a break like this because ever since I returned to work in 2008 my days, weeks and months have been focused around my son. Somewhere in the pile of must-dos I’ve misplaced some of my dreams, skimmed over some of my goals and totally left behind a few of my needs. It’s time I take a break and be with other women, many of whom I’ve chatted with online through a closed group. We’ve discussed our hobbies, our lives, our beautiful children, the stressful moments and also the happiest we’ve felt because of our children. It makes me want to cry when I read some of the stories that are either close to what I’m experiencing with my son or way worse than what I’ve been dealt.
No matter which end of the spectrum of stress they come from, this weekend I hope to bond at least with those who share the same interests as mine.
Curious. Shy. Nervous. Scared. Who? Me? Yes!
I have never been away from my son for that long. So I’m not sure how I’m going to feel. I will miss him, most definitely, and I hope he copes. When his dad goes away for work, he’s not quite himself. But he waits, because I tell him that his daddy has gone on the aeroplane. I’ve got to find out what to tell him this time.
Looking forward to sleeping alone! To sleeping in! To breathing and relaxing! Argh!
In the meantime, as you do when you’re excited about a trip, you start packing early. I’m not a ‘lady’ so to speak, and I don’t drag things in the morning. I don’t wear much makeup and I’m not a dress girl, although I do on occasion say ‘Alright, I’ll wear a dress’ but only if the friends going with me are wearing dresses. I’m planning to wear black pants but not sure what to wear on top.
My tiny suitcase is out of the wardrobe and I’m starting to throw things in one by one as they pop into my head. For now I’ve got no list written down but will write one tonight.
SO FAR IN MY BAG:
[1] Autograph jacket because sometimes seminar rooms have dodgy temperatures (sold out, see here)
[2] Foldable, portable Flipsters flip flops for after the shower (I wrote about them!) (gifted)
[3] NIVEA Stress Protect roll-on (gifted)
[4] Elle Faux Nubuck Walnut Melbourne shoes to go with the black pants I plan to buy for the dinner (gifted)
[5] Accent Concepts scarf – can’t recall where I got them from.
[6] MOR Cosmetics Marshmallow Body Oil – one of my favourites and smells just like real marshmallows!
[7] Burberry Miniature Eau de Parfum (I bought from Target in a miniature pack, it came in 4.5ml bottle)
I’m looking forward to meeting new people and hopefully coming home with a few names to contact for further bonding later on. I’ll write some more about what I’m doing during the countdown.
Have you been on a mums’ retreat? Are you by chance going to the retreat coming up this weekend?
Note: some of these items were gifted, so I’ve marked them as such. However I’m including them in my bag because I use/wear them because I love them. I’ll be writing reviews soon. The are in no way affiliated with the event that I’m attending.