Mark: The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity.
First, we jetted off to Las Vegas. I took Xen to see Kendrick Lamar, an unforgettable first concert experience for him, and Renee took Eden to see David Copperfield, a magical night in every sense. It was the twins’ first time in Vegas, and we made the most of it. Magic. Music. Mayhem. Memory-making was in full effect.
Then we flew to Ohio for our niece Mya’s wedding. It was a beautiful family gathering and a meaningful milestone—it coincided with our 23rd wedding anniversary. We shared more about that story and the rainstorm that surprised us on our wedding day in Blog #11.
Naturally, we were already looking ahead to the next adventure.
We had plans to head to Tampa and Clearwater this weekend. Busch Gardens. The beach. The works. It would’ve been Eden and Xen’s first time at Busch Gardens, and we were excited to keep the momentum going, one epic family memory after another.
But when we got home, Renee looked at me and said something that shifted everything:
“What if we don’t?”
Renee: It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go. I did. But my body, my energy, even my heart… they were all asking for something different.
After two weeks of back-to-back travel, magic, music, family, and celebration, I realized what I needed wasn’t another packed weekend, it was a pause.
No packing. No airports. No hotel check-ins. Just time to breathe, move slowly, and reconnect with our rhythm at home.
As our kids get older, we’re feeling a natural tendency to squeeze in as much adventure and time with them as possible. Only four more summers, and they’ll be off to college, a whole new chapter for all of us. That reality creates a sense of urgency, as if we have to make the most of every moment.
Before COVID, I actually had a blog called Florida Fun Family where I documented our adventures. Living in one of the world's tourist capitals with young kids, it was easy to find fun. We were always on the go. Then COVID hit and forced our first real pause. Disney passes were canceled. Our travel calendar was wiped clean. And for the first time, we learned how to find fun at home… and how to slow down.
When the world reopened, so did our schedule. I felt like I had to make up for all the fun we missed during those formative ages from 10 to 12. And while it’s been incredible to create new memories, it’s also been exhausting.
Mark: And honestly? She was right.
We didn’t have any deadlines looming over us. No fires to put out. No launches on the line. Which is exactly what made it the perfect time to rest before we needed it.
It’s funny how, even after all these years of doing “soulful business,” we still catch ourselves thinking rest needs to be earned. That we should only pause when we’ve hit a wall or crossed a finish line.
But rest isn’t the reward. It’s part of the strategy.
Renee: One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned as Couplepreneurs is that sustainability isn’t built in the hustle; it’s built in the harmony.
Harmony between work and rest. Between forward motion and stillness. Between doing and simply being.
So this week, instead of sprinting into the next adventure, we stayed home.
This isn’t the first time life has taught me to slow down.
Back when I was in treatment for breast cancer, I didn’t have the option to push through. I had to pause. Everything stopped...my energy, my routines, my sense of control. But in that stillness, I found something else: clarity. Presence. A deeper gratitude for simply being.
That season, though painful, showed me that rest isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. And it’s why I’m so much more tuned in now when my body or spirit says, “Not yet. Not today.”
So this week, instead of sprinting into the next adventure, we stayed home…
We cooked. We caught up on sleep. We had slow mornings. We worked a little, but not from a place of urgency. From a place of presence.
And you know what? We feel better. More clear. More connected.
Mark: And when Renee’s birthday comes later next month, we’ll celebrate with full tanks because we chose to pause now, instead of pushing through.
Renee: It reminded us that the in-between moments matter just as much as the big ones.
We didn’t need another roller coaster or beachfront selfie. We needed permission to breathe.
Mark and Renee: This is your permission slip to pause.
Not because you’re broken. But because you’re building something that lasts.
Sometimes, between the celebrations, is where the real restoration happens.