I’d seen the e-mail a week before and it had stuck with me, bouncing around in the back of my over-taxed brain.

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A friend had organized a women’s hiking trip in the mountains for the weekend, and wanted to know if I was interested in joining them last-minute.

At first, I just closed out of the e-mail, thinking “Yeah, right. Like I can really just drop everything and leave for the weekend.”

But at random moments throughout the week, the words “relax and rejuvenate” kept resurfacing.

It’s something we as women aren’t very good at — asking for and taking time for ourselves. Since having Josh seven years ago, I’ve taken one or two solo trips with friends, but those were long-planned and well organized.

I’d never just said “I need a break.” And then taken one.

But that’s just what I wound up doing. I pulled out of town on Friday afternoon, the kids happily in the care of one of their favorite sitters.

They ended up getting a sports-filled weekend with dad, cramming as much fun, pizza and milkshakes into two days as they could.

And I got to do ... exactly what I wanted to do. I hiked beautiful trails and browsed slowly through shops. I read whole chapters of a book — without being interrupted.

Every other time I’ve taken time for myself, I’ve felt a little guilty. Like, somehow, I was failing in my mommy duty by checking out for a few days.

Not this time, though. I didn’t feel even the tiniest twinge of guilt.

And I had the chance to actually miss my life at home.

Which made coming back — a happier and more rested mommy — all the sweeter.

Amy Fuhrman is the mother of two boys and editor of the Lake Norman Navigator. E-mail her at .

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