My wise children

Thursday afternoon I'm headed to Powers Lake in Wisconsin.
My daughter-in-law Melissa will pick me up at O'Hare. She will drive me to the lake. She's already picked out the music she knows will trigger a spontaneous sing-along (she's the only person who actually encourages me to sing). We will arrive at the lake where Sandra, our children's godmother, will have a light snack and a bottle of wine ready.
Thus will begin a weekend get-away I balked at acknowledging I even needed.
But my children are far wiser than I.
When this was first proposed by Lucas and Melissa a week ago they anticipated my resistance and said that it was already a done deal.
Ken and I had been through what we later understood to be Ken's withdrawal from pain pops coupled with the crippling pain he was experiencing waiting for the pain meds in the pump to reach a level that gave him relief.
But when Lucas, Melissa, Amanda and Michael join forces they are formidable.
Melissa had proposed my break. She'd heard the depression in my voice. The frustration and the exhaustion. So she got the brunt of my resistance. This was too expensive (they footed the bill) and too spontaneous. "Next time check back in before you decide I need a break, " I'd snapped to her.
But I took my daughter's lead. "Your children love you, mom. Enjoy yourself. Have a good time. I wish I was there.''
I still could not fully admit that I needed a break.
It wasn't until Sunday morning that I knew I needed to call Melissa and apologize and say thank you. You were right. I do need this.
She wondered what took me so long.