This past Friday we had a SNOW DAY!!! No school Saturday and Sunday....followed by no school Monday because of Martin Luther King day. WHOO HOO!! For not having to set an alarm 4 days in a row. When the kids were younger the thought of 4 days off & them all home kinda set me into a state of hives. I love them...but trying to keep them all busy when it's so cold outside is hard. Can I get an Amen?
But as they grow...I find this task easier and easier by the year. Now I welcome Christmas break, for more than just not setting an alarm. They are changing. Or am I?
So Monday morning I got ambitious. We got the house cleaned up and I decided rather than wait until they are at school...we were going for a grocery and Target run. With all 4. All but one of the kids were excited~I won't mention any names.
They did so well in Target. I'm entering a new phase where if they stick together in 2's I will let them be in the store a little without me right in the same isle. The boys can go to the electronics & the girls find the book department or some other girly place to look. It actually was an enjoyable trip. Shocked and pleased.
So after that I decided we should grab some lunch before I spend another hour in a store.
So we went to Wendy's. When we pulled into the parking lot and actually parked, I got some pretty wrinkled eyebrows. WHAT??? We're eating inside the restaurant???? Suzy said, "OH THANK YOU MOM!!!" Oppsie. I guess we're characterized by drive thru's. Sad but true.
I felt like a super hero to be eating in and them excited about it. AND I let them each get their own frosty! Did I mention we splurged and shared a fry?
So we are sitting down with our food, and I notice a grandma with her granddaughter eating their lunch at a nearby table. The little girl had a happy meal and the conversation was about her pre-school and how she likes it. The grandma was really into her little granddaughter.
And then my eyes filled with water.
I think part of it came from longing & some came from just attending my uncle's funeral the day before.
Isabella was sitting across the table from me and said, "mom are your eyes really dry or are those tears?"
I told her, "It's so silly. But I miss my mom~I miss her not knowing how cool you guys are." I thought to myself silly to me~because why have tears NOW in the middle of Wendy's when my heart is so full of these kids who are so fun to be with? So blessed by a great day out on the town with them. So happy to be their mama. How can it hit me like this....when it hasn't for months?? How can you be filled with such conflicting emotions?
And then Isabella's eyes filled and she told me, "Mom! That's not silly at all!"
Oh my goodness. Complete and utter compassion & empathy for my loss. And then she did what any sweet 11 year old would do. She handed me her frosty and offered me some.
At this point all 4 kids were staring at me and I went on to explain to them how much Grandma Faye would've loved being them grandma. I imagine she would've taken them to lunch all by themselves and treated them to some one on one time.
And then Suzy says, "And what if you get there before I do~then I will see you too." Her and her little 5 year old logic.
Jack pipes up and says, "SUZY! That's saying that mom will die before you.~Don't make her feel worse."
At this point the tears keep rolling with laughing and I desperately just want the tears to stop but they don't. I love these kids. They make me so full. Even when my heart is a little sore.
