The Puddles

The puddles have been spending the last several days with Papa and Grandma Lake.  Chris and I have been workaholics with our paying jobs and working to play catch up around the house.  We didn’t even go on a date night.  We planned to go out to dinner but by the time 5:00pm rolled around we were just too excited about getting closer to the finish line of our obligations to stop and go somewhere for dinner.   I would start in the morning and didn’t quit until 1-2am every night.  I just really need to get caught up.

Don’t worry.  I fed Chris.  We found a Chinese restaurant that delivered one night (that was cool!) and I went and picked up a nice meal on another.  Then we at least stopped what we were doing to share a meal.  It reminded me of the days that we both worked for the same church.  We both were workaholics and never went home, so the only time we saw each other was the meals we would share at one another’s desks.

But tonight I have suspended all work to get the kids’ rooms cleaned up and ready for them tomorrow.  We had promised Madie to move her furniture around for her and hang a few pictures.  I managed that myself tonight.  So Chris and I are feverishly trying to spruce up everything.  For a couple of reasons: 1.  to cover up the fact that all we did was work this week and made a complete mess of the house.  2.  because I am so excited to see the kids again.

I desperately needed the break.  I had been close to losing my sanity towards the end.  You know the feeling.  I am sure all mom’s have it.  That racing feeling in your heart and your head.  My blood pressure and pulse are up because I am anxious trying to get from one thing to another on time without losing any kids and because I know that I am not going to accomplish everything on my list (and that makes me mad). My head is racing trying to go over the list constantly to see if I am missing anything.  Did I forget something?  or someone? Have I forgotten to do something that I told someone that I would do? I really hate disappointing people (including myself), so it drives me nuts trying to get everything done on the “list.”

Over the last few days, I was able to work really really hard on the “list”. I feel much better now.  I am ready to face what is coming.  And I am really ready to be with  my kiddos.  To wake up in the morning to their sweet faces smiling back at me.  I am ready for the whining. I am ready for the tears. I am ready for the “I didn’t know that I couldn’t eat candy for breakfast.”  But I am also ready for sharing in their joys.

Tomorrow will bring another set of duties (actually fixing real dinners, laundry, cleaning daily, assisting in homework, regulating the chore chart, etc.).  But I am much better prepared for those duties today than I was a week ago.

Only 12 hours to go until they arrive!!!