Sunday, November 14, 2010

I am Thankful for Me Time

What I'm calling "me time" lately is really a pathetic stand in. Yesterday I went to a baby shower and my girls were not invited. Alleluia! Maybe I was particularly relieved because I also went to a baby shower last weekend, and all of my girls were invited to that one. And it was a two hour drive each way. Yikes. So yesterday I was kind of giddy to leave the house alone. I hitched a ride with my mother-in-law and her two nieces. The ride was an hour each way, and we could actually talk because there was not a movie playing and obliterating all possible conversation. Or kids asking for food one after the other non-stop, or complaining of car sickness or boredom. Or a toddler screaming because she was absolutely exhausted but stubbornly refused to take a nap. Yeah, especially that. 

Chris's aunt and uncle were hosting the shower, and I knew that they would hook us up with some really good food. They did not disappoint.  Plus they have a killer house which I was excited to see for the first time (it has an elevator! a real elevator! you would think I had never been in one!). And I got to catch up with Chris's cousins, some of whom I hadn't seen in quite awhile. So it was a very nice time for a baby shower. 

A few nights ago I had a preschool board meeting. No kids allowed - yee haw! I can count on these once a month. There is always good food, and I really enjoy the company of my fellow board members.

I do realize how sad it is that my "me time" consists of baby showers and preschool board meetings.  But I've got to grab it when I can. And I truly am thankful for any little bit I get. Talking with grown-ups, especially while not being interrupted, is just refreshingly wonderful. Being able to concentrate on something I'm interested in is so decadent. Most of my time happens when the kids are all in bed, or when I just have Mathilda with me and she is sleeping in the van. I love to sit in my van in the preschool parking lot while Lucy is in school and Mathilda is sleeping in the back seat. I bring a book and my journal, maybe make a few phone calls or sip on a yummy caffeinated beverage.  It is absolutely divine.

I'm also lucky enough to have a mother-in-law who is not afraid to take all four kids over night once in awhile. Those are good nights. The best part is being able to sleep all night, which is a real rarity for me. No one wakes me up in the morning and I don't have to fix breakfast for anyone but me. Sublime.

I so adore my children, and spending time with them is my most favorite thing in the whole big wide world. But sometimes a mama just needs to attend to her own needs so she is then better equipped to handle those of the little people. Everyone needs a reminder now and then that she does exist outside the realm of mothering. A morning to sleep in. An hour to read a book in silence. A few minutes to concentrate on a phone call with a friend. A meal and lots of laughs shared with friends.These are moments I treasure, and I am so thankful when I have the opportunity to enjoy one.

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