A nearly perfect day

Today I saw a twist to my usual schedule as I woke up after a FULL NIGHTS SLEEP!! YAAAYYYYY!! Yes you heard me right people! After 14 months of night feedings my little son.shine slept for a full nine and a half hours! And ooohhh how I enjoyed the slumber without any interruptions. . . . .

So he woke up shortly after nine and immediately realized that he had not had a single moment of comfort in Mommies arms nursing to his hearts content, and he immediately began to scream in horror!! I rushed to his crib side and reached down to swoop him up, the crying ceased immediately.

As I turned to walk back to my bed he laid his little blonde head onto my shoulder and snuggled in, waiting patiently for the comfort he so greatly desired. I laid down with him and nursed he and I back to sleep. . . .

Forty minutes later it was time to get up and get ready for the day. How happy I was that my children, all three were soundly sleeping in their beds. At least for the moment. As the sounds of morning stirred around us, one by one the children arose, rubbing the sleep from their eyes and assembling together in the living room to what else . . . . watch Saturday morning cartoons.

As the children woke up to their saturday morning fix, I prepared for the day ahead. A day very unlike any I have had in some time. The lesson plan I had prepared late into the night waited for me on my desk, along with the images I had carefully chosen for the class I was to teach on basic photography and how to improve the quality of your pictures.

Nerves threatened to come to the surface as I thought about how long it had been since I was in front of a class room. Did I have enough information to cover three hours?? Would the students like me?? Would I be able to give each individual something of value to take home with them??

I jumped in the car and hit the road. Damn this car . . . . the heater was on the fritz and for the next hour and a half I willed God to reach down into my car and fix the problem so that I could feel warmth on my frozen fingers, toes and nose. I reached my destination cold but alive and excited to be given an opportunity to teach others about the art I love so much.

Class went by quickly. The students were very warm and receptive to what I had to say . . . except that one quiet girl sitting by the back. Everytime I looked her way the bland expression shouted “I WASTED MY MONEY ON THIS CRAP???” I really have no way of knowing how she felt, but expression speaks volumes and I can only hope that she found something of value in the time we spent.

Overall my time there was a great experience. The students asked a lot of questions and I surprised myself at how much I had to offer that wasn’t down on paper! I get time and experience really do mean a lot.

The drive home was much warmer, God must’ve heard my cries . . . or maybe the heater reset after I held the button down for like 10 minutes!!! LOL. Any which way the trip home was fast and uneventful.

Once home I ran here and there, picking up groceries, movies KFC and then FINALLY home. As I struggled through the door with my arms loaded to full capacity my family greeted me each from their perch, my dear husband at the computer, youngest daughter on the couch watching a kids show and my little son.shine skootching to the door to say hello.

I put down my bags as he stretched his little arms towards me, willing me to reach down and pick him up. I entered the living room to see my youngest daughter sitting on the couch with a pail on her head:) Such a little character. She is not feeling well and within five minutes she empties the contents of her stomach quietly into the pail. Poor girl:( Never one to complain she lets us clean her up and get her a Ginger Ale.

After 20 minutes little son.shine realizes that he has gone an entire day without his momma and begins to scream for the comfort that only I can offer him. We snuggle up on the couch and he nurses to his little hearts content.

The evening is slow and quiet except for the occasional bout of screaming brought on by a certain little man who has not had enough time with his mommie this day. My little Princess Sarah continues to feel yucky and twice more throws up. The presence in the house is quiet and I can feel the emptiness of my missing eldest daughter. The rest of the  family is together, but not quite whole with the absence of her laughter and sweetness.

As everyone settles in for the evening my heart is full. Today I have had time alone in my car, just me and God. I have had an opportunity to share of myself with others. I have experienced the joy of reuniting with those I love, and the emptiness of missing my first born. I have held back my little girls hair as she works out the sickness, and I have snuggled to my hearts content with my littlest one.

It has been a nearly perfect day, from my perspective at least. Subtract the sickness and add the daughter that is away living a life her own, and it would seem complete. I can’t complain. These are the things of life that mark moments in our minds. This day does not blend into the rest of my time line, but will stand out in my memories, mostly because I took the time to sit and reflect and write. And now, I say good night:)