a day to myself

I truly enjoy being a stay-at-home mom. I won't go into all the reasons here right now, but I do love it. But just like with any paying job, there are some days you'd just really like a break. Especially while nursing a baby, the "I can't go anywhere away from the baby for more than three hours at a time without planning ahead" thing can wear on you a bit. So yesterday my hubby awarded me with a blissful day of doing whatever I wanted to do. He took the day off work and completely left me to my own devices. This is how I filled my day. 1. Wake up and nurse Wendy. Let her hang out with me in bed while Andy and Levi go out to get breakfast and bring it home. Eat my bagel and cream cheese, drink my coffee while I stay in bed and watch "Clueless." (It was the only thing on Netflix that seemed mindless, fun, and short enough.) It's been a while since I've just sat a watched a whole movie straight. 2. While I wait for Wendy to wake up from her morning nap, I read several chapters of Genesis. 3. Nurse Wendy and then leave for my afternoon of freedom. 4. Go to TJ Maxx to get Andy a new belt, new throw pillows for the couch and a basket for the magazines we keep on the dining table. Something about buying a decorative, functional basket makes the organizer within me sing. Stop at the Christian bookstore and buy a really sweet nativity advent calendar... each day we take one character out of the pocket and build up the nativity scene. 5. Drive to Panera for lunch by myself with my Kindle book. Of course, the woman next to me ends up having a baby girl Wendy's age, so I spend most of the time thinking of my sweet baby instead of reading my book. 6. Go to the toystore across from Panera just because I can. It's a great place to get ideas, but way overpriced. 7. Go to AC Moore to buy goodies for decorating my Thanksgiving table. Somehow I end up with six sheets of paper, a can of spray paint, and some raffia. Yeah, not sure how this'll all work out! 8. Go to Home Goods and fall in love with a rug. Decide that 100% wool is not a good idea because it keeps shedding on me. Console myself with buying another basket that'll be used for the books and magazines we keep in Levi's "quiet corner" -- the place we send him when he's being too loud and needs to take a chill pill. 9. Catch up with two friends and my mom on my phone while driving to and fro. (I have a hands-free headset.) 10. Go home, nurse Wendy and get dressed for exercise class. Pilox my butt off. That would be pilates and boxing moves. I likely looked like a fool, but I was so busy trying to keep up that I didn't have time to care. My arms feel like rubber noodles afterwards. 11. Go home, eat the wonderful dinner Andy cooked... homemade Chicago-style stuffed pizza! It was amazing. I can't believe we haven't tried to make this at home before. I'm told the kitchen was covered in flour several times during the day, but there is no mess to be seen. What a gift. 12. Put the kids to bed and then go to my haircut appointment that just happened to line up with my "me" day. 13. Come home (again!) and finally get to spend time with Andy. What a crazy me day. It felt really good to break my routine for just a day and I know the kids and Andy all enjoyed their time together. All these little things I did felt like such a luxury, but I'm glad to be back to my regular routine again today. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

the reason i like friday the thirteenths

Three years ago today was Friday, November 13. That morning before I went to work, I took a pregnancy test and saw a bright blue plus sign. I spent the rest of the day walking around with that same weird gliding feeling you get after roller skating all day. And that is why anytime a Friday the 13th rolls around, I just smile.

a week with four kids

My dear friend Lesley was brave and kind enough to make the six-hour drive from her home in West Virginia to visit for the week. Oh, and she has two kids to bring along! Her oldest is 13 days younger than my Levi, and her baby is 31 days older than my Wendy. It was a fully, crazy, fun house. Here are some tidbits from the week.

1. Mommy brain is a real thing. The constant "I have to pay attention to these little human beings to make sure no one is in danger or making a bad behavior choice or needs anything" puts a serious toll on your ability to have a linear conversation! We say "what was I saying?" at least four times every hour.

2. It's important to take embarrassing pictures of your toddlers running around in diapers so you can show them to their prom dates later.

3. One baby laughing is adorable. Two babies laughing is unbearably cute.

4. Sharing is really hard to do and is also hard to define. When you have to give someone a toy and "share" it with them, that can make you sad. When you get to have the toy because someone is "sharing" it with you, you are happy. Very confusing concept, but very important.

5. Moms need other moms in order to feel the encouragement and motivation necessary to leave the house.

6. Bedtime is the best, best time of the day. Those few hours after the kids go to bed are priceless.

7. High fives are very important. Even moms need them after successfully loading four kids and two strollers into a minivan.

8. It's really amazing to watch your toddler actually enjoy having a friend over. When Levi was a baby, playdates were really about moms getting together. Now Levi can genuinely enjoy the company of a friend his age. It's so cute.

9. If one kid starts yelling or making dinosaur noises, the other kid will probably do the same thing. If one kid wants fruit of bread, the other kid will want fruit or bread too.

10. Shopping with four kids is nearly impossible. But not completely impossible. You never know unless you try.

We had a wonderful week. I can't wait until next time when the girls are mobile! Then things are really going to be interesting.

seven words that changed my life

There are moments in your life when the words you hear hang in the air, like the words in cartoon speak bubbles.

"You've been accepted."

"Will you marry me?"

"It's a boy."

"It's a girl."

But there are seven words that I will remember for the rest of my life. I hear them exactly ten years ago today. They mark a pivotal moment when I met the man of my dreams. I walked up to him, he shook my hand and said "It's so nice to finally meet you!" I remember that we were outside. The weather in Evanston that day was nice enough for just a fleece jacket. As I walked and talked and heard more about this guy, I thought it sounded like his life was already full enough, that he didn't seem to need another friend, especially some random girl like me.

Ten years later, we have built a life together. I watch as he bends over to take the trash bag full of diapers out of the diaper pail and out to the curb. I see him carry out children into church, one on each arm. I stop what I'm doing to stare at him the first time he wears a sweater each fall beause it reminds me of how he looked that first fall when I met him, exactly ten years ago today.

Those seven words hang in the air. And I love the man who spoke them to me.