We’d left the house in a state of disarray. Against my better judgment, we’d pedaled down the driveway with bikes packed full and "You’re supposed to clean up before you leave!" echoing in my mind. We did not clean up before leaving. It was one of the rules we were breaking on our last-minute bike camping trip.
Two years ago we had made the trip to Carpinteria as a family of three. It was so successful that we’d promised to go several more times that summer. But, the months slipped by in a haze of barbecues and birthdays, swim lessons and summer colds. Another year rolled by, another baby arrived. We hibernated, and made small circles around our nest, the way families with babies seem to do.
The logistics of daily life with young children can feel overwhelming: the endless dishes, midnight fevers, tantrums, Cheerios in every crack and corner of the house, and a feeling that there will never be enough time or space or energy to meet everyone’s every need.