My Inner Circle | April Self Portrait

I just had the most wonderful weekend and wanted to share it with you for this month’s Self Portrait post! Every year my mom, sisters and I try to plan two nights away so that we can relax and spend time together. It’s been three years since our last weekend away and we were definitely overdue!!!  My husband has had an especially poor couple months in his health journey and I wasn’t sure I would be able to join them this time, but on Friday afternoon the pathway cleared and I was able to drive over to our hotel and spend some time unwinding. Over chinese takeout, hot tubs, going to a movie and doing some shopping I felt a mounting gratitude for this “inner circle” of women in my life and the chance to spend time with them.

One of our activities during the weekend was to go to Clay Your Way in Fargo and paint mugs! Since we are in a season of life where we live quite close together (I live only a few blocks from my mom and two of my sisters) we often get together for tea at 9 p.m. after our kids are in bed. We decided that we needed traveling mugs to use on our tea nights!

Top Row: Cassie, Torie, Janna
Bottom Row: Rachel, Me, Mom

Cassie is the sister closest in age to me. Sometimes we have gotten mistaken as twins since we look a bit alike! She lives just a block down the street from me and I LOVE when she stops by on her way home from her work at the UPS Store. She is super thoughtful, is more decisive than other members of my family (haha!) and always has the best hair styles! Torie is my beloved sister-in-law who married into our family (and we are so glad she did!) She is an amazing coordinator, great with kids and one of the most genuinely understanding people you’ll meet. Janna is the baby of the family, recently moved back to FM area after living in Chicago for a couple years. She is super laid back, and FUNNY. OH my word. She constantly cracks me up with her sense of humor, especially her imitations of her children. Rachel is my oldest sister! She and I have totally opposite personalities, and yet she’s truly become one of my dearest friends. I probably talk to her on the phone every day for one reason or the other. She helps me with my kids all the time and is walking a similar journey of diet changes and healthy living, so we have a ton in common right now. And then my beautiful Mom! From her I learned the gift of hospitality and intuition about people. She makes every day of my life better with her stability, warmth and listening ear. I don’t know what I did to deserve this group women, but I will cherish them forever.

A few more iphone photos from the weekend! Basically we alternated doing stuff and just laying in bed. BECAUSE SLEEPING IS AMAZING.