Ahhhh, Spring Break! I have to be honest for a minute and tell you that just two weeks ago, I was dreading...literally dreading Spring Break. Our boys are in a season of fighting. They have such vast differences that neither wants to play with the other and consequently end up making each other mad...in turn making me mad. So, having an entire week with them was not something I was especially looking forward to. And yes, there was a time when I felt quite a bit of guilt admitting that....that is, until I got away from social media. It was then that I realized most families with siblings go through similar seasons.....they just don't post about that because it would make them look less than perfect. Well, my "perfect" title was tarnished 37 years ago....so I no longer need to feel that guilt.
So, yes, I admit I was dreading this week. But, what a pleasant surprise I've had! My mother-in-law planned a couple of things with each boy, leaving me with the other. It's been a long time since I've had any one-on-one time with either boy, so this, I was looking forward to. Several months ago I blogged about how vastly different Warren and Harper are. So it would only stand to reason that my two days with the boys would be incomparable to one another. And so it was.
My day with Warren began with lunch at Moe's. We ate outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Then we headed to Family Fun Center for putt-putt golf. Warren is normally incredibly competitive, but he threw the score card aside and just had fun. We stopped and watched some baby chicks call out to their mom. We complimented each other on shots well made. We have no idea who won. Then we headed inside for some video games and laser tag. Next up was a batting lesson at Baseball Heaven. Warren wanted to get there early to warm up....30 minutes early. It was plenty of time to throw and catch before he started his lesson. During his lesson, I was able to sit and watch. I watched as our little 8-year old (who normally seems like he's 8 going on 18) listened nervously to his coach. It was a good reminder that he is still a boy. He's not "the man" that he thinks he is (see my post from March). He still likes to play putt putt and laser tag and hang out with his mom, for now at least. 
Tuesday was my date day with Harper. And my oh my, it could not have been more different. I spent some time researching some things that Harper and I might enjoy together. Bowling, putt-putt, a movie, painting pottery were all on my list. But Harper had a different idea, as he normally does. So, my day with Harper began trying to eat lunch at Beef O'Brady's only to leave after waiting 10 minutes without receiving any service. (Whereas Warren would've been upset and more than likely cried, Harper rolled with the punches.) Before we left, however, he did want to try and win a bouncy ball. As luck would have it, he got it on his first try....green, his favorite color, no less! We decided to try Chick-Fil-A. We enjoyed delicious chicken and silly conversation, before we headed out to Family Fun Center. Now wait, I know what you're thinking. "This can't be that different. She went to Family Fun Center with Warren." And yes, Warren and I did go to Family Fun Center. So yes, that part is the same. However, Harper only wanted to play a couple of games, which we did and then headed back home. For as athletic as Warren is, Harper is equally as artistic. He loves to draw and create. We spent the entire afternoon creating. We painted picture after picture. We made crowns that we could wear as the rulers of our kingdoms. We made crowns for the entire family. We made thumbprint art. We played with play dough. We talked and we laughed at some of the silly things we came up with. 
These days with my two boys were as different as my boys themselves. I realized many things during these precious days. I am very attached to my phone, which I made a point to ignore (except for documentary selfies). I don't do this enough...get away from my phone or spend one-on-one time with my boys. These times are short. Harper is hysterical (this I already knew, these days were just confirmation). Warren is intense (again, confirmation), but has a very cute sense of humor. I stink at baseball, putt putt and painting, but am pretty good at laser tag and crown making. I have pretty awesome kids who are uniquely different. And while that comes with many (many, many) challenges, it comes with double the blessings.So, while I started this post off telling you how much I was dreading Spring Break...now I'm dreading next week, when we go back to the hustle and bustle of the busy life. This week, I've had a week to relax. A week to be off of my phone (for the most part) and enjoy my boys. A week to appreciate their vast differences. A week to realize (again) just how blessed I am, even in the midst of the fighting. And with that, maybe I should start looking forward to summer?
