A Half Hour a Day

Happy Thanksgiving my Friends!

I hope you all enjoyed a fulfilling holiday, both in body and soul.

Our family enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with Zan’s family, and have had a great extended visit with his sister’s family who have been here since Wednesday.  (They will be leaving today.)  The only bummer of the week has been a “who knows what?” infection that took my voice and requires an antibiotic and Robitussin with Codeine to control the cough at night.  Fortunately (and quite miraculously) I feel much better than I sound and it hasn’t slowed me down *too* much.  I haven’t had a voice since it left after Thanksgiving dinner.  Extremely frustrating, especially for someone like me who loves to talk!  LOL 

Some highlights of the week:

• Zan took Little Girl to NYC for a Daddy/Daughter American Girl Place Day on Tuesday.  Not only did they “lunch” and shop at the American Girl store, but they also went to Rockefeller Center and Zan’s office, and ended the day at Carlos’ Bakery, bringing home boxes galore of goodies, and a photo of Little Girl with Buddy himself!  Talk about making memories!
• Sister-in-Law and I took the teenage daughters and nieces to see New Moon on Friday night….the squeals of delight coming out of the 17 year old were hilarious!!  On a personal note, I looked down the full row of girls at one point and was so overwhelmed by the fact that our babies are all so beautiful and grown-up, and such a pleasure to be with.  It seems like yesterday that they were fighting over dolls, in tears over one thing or another, cranky and overtired during the holidays, and that we played referee more than we enjoyed visiting.  And to see them all, leaning shoulder to shoulder, whispering and giggling together, enjoying each other, was good for the soul.
• Zan got “his” basement cleaned out! I call it “his” because he actually likes it down there!  I HATE it down there and if it weren’t for the fact that my washer and dryer live in that crypt, I would never see it.  (The house is 112 years old, so imagine how creepy it is….okay, maybe I exaggerate a little…it is well-lit, and dry, and as clean as a 112 year old basement can be…but still…..ick.)  So, tons of items for donations were trucked to Salvation Army over the past couple of weeks, and while we had the manpower this week, truckloads of metals, cardboard, and garbage were hauled to the recycling/waste center, and storage shelves were moved around.  It is a huge weight off Zan’s already overburdened shoulders.
• Food galore—Thanksgiving dinner with all the “fixins,” leftovers, a spaghetti and meatball dinner, a ham and homebaked mac and cheese dinner…..all comfort foods all the time!
• And the best for last—-numerous cups of tea and coffee enjoyed in pajamas while catching up on all the news….

I don’t even want to think about the next holiday yet.  I just want to savor this one a bit longer.

Some days I feel a bit sorry for myself and my lack of alone time. 

Some days I think:

“Could I PLEASE just get through ONE cup of coffee without an interruption?!”

“Could I PLEASE just get through ONE five minute shower without a little peeker or flusher?!”

“Could I PLEASE just make a bed without Mister interrupting me with some Danger Boy move like touching an outlet, putting something down the toilet, or practicing jumping near the top of the stairs?!”

“Could someone PLEASE put their own socks in the laundry just this ONCE without being asked to do it?!”

“Could I PLEASE sleep past 5:30am just this ONCE?!”

“Could I PLEASE have just ONE peaceful half hour with no obligations!!”

And then I pass the huge funeral procession for a 15 year old girl complete with camera crews…she and the 17 year old boy who was driving, died in a car accident last Wednesday.

And I think, those mothers will never have a peaceful moment again.

My thoughts shift…

I thank God for my half drunk cup of coffee because it means my kids are here to interrupt me.

I thank God for my hot and cold shower blasts, because it means my Baby Boy is in the room with me.

I thank God that my Danger Boy is still small enough to protect from himself and his choices.

I thank God for every piece of laundry left on the floor because it means that my daughters were  both here to wear them and drop them.

I thank God for my 5:30am daily wake up call because it means that someone needs me, and I get to hug and kiss each of my children good morning.

I thank God for my busy, full life and find peace in the crazy moments because I know destruction of that peace could be one moment away.

“Thank you, Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family. Thank you for being with us in all our joys and sorrows, for your comfort in our sadness, your companionship in our loneliness. Thank you for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives. Thank you for friends, for health and for grace. May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us.”

To this I say AMEN.