Friday Night

On most days you'd have a pretty tough time convincing me to get the house in order before the kids went to bed, and to get said kids into bed waaaay early. Like, 6:30. But tonight is the end of a long, long week -- my grandmother died on Friday, we had company over the weekend, Trevor's cousin has been here all week and the two of them have worked on the Division Street house from sun up to sun down, Berit's preschool conference, checking out potential schools for Marta's extra energy, two pressing deadlines, our final adoption report came in and needed reviewing, we had remodeling loan drama and a dog who might have had cancer (but didn't -- yet still needs surgery). Both girls had colds all week and Marta has been up at least twice every single night for at least the past two weeks. Maybe two months. I don't know.

This is not to say that I'm not thrilled with my existence on this planet, in this house, in this family, in these situations. As my friend Kelly says, I'm just sayin'.

But man, did I ever need tonight. My house was spotless by 5 p.m., the girls bathed and in bed by 6:15. We did our workout together today and even I have been freshly showered since 5. I love this space, this quiet, totally alone. I always have. I rarely do anything during these times besides surf the web and talk to my sister on the phone. I had planned to fold clothes while watching a movie tonight. Not looking good for that. You know, internet and magazines.

Right now, no one needs a decision on a roof color. No one will read anything I write for my deadlines (though I should shouldshouldshouldshould be using this time to write). There is nothing to be faxed, learned, or walked. It's like this closet in the universe where I can sit in the semi-darkness eating peanut butter from the jar and try to work out everything I did, or was supposed to do, this past week. It's also where I swear it'll all get done next week.