I AM the Queen of England

After all the rush rush rush of a long and busy week, it's finally the weekend. The kids were heading to Toledo to visit with their grandparents this weekend so I left work on Friday and had to rush to the pharmacy, rush home, change clothes, grab the kids, pick up Z at his friends and hit the road. Of course everyone was starving so we quickly stopped for fast food. We got to our planned meeting point and the kids climbed out of the van giving kisses and love and and then, it was quiet and I was alone (except they left a bunch of trash and fries in their wake). For all of these years when the kids go away for weekends, it is pure craziness getting everyone packed and corralled and ready and then BOOM, just like that. silence. It's always so strange.

Imet Monte out for a dinner of breadsticks and greek salad and then came home and crashed. Monte and I always look forward to having some down time. Only, I happen to not be very good at down time. I sleep in and feel like I wasted part of the day. Monte took Wilson to the groomers because he's long overdue and my dad is coming next weekend. Monte laughed at me because I have spent my entire life disliking and being afraid of all animals and now I am worried about the dog being groomed and presentable when my dad arrives. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME?! Then he called me a doggy mama or something and I drew the line right there. I am NOT the mom of an animal. Ok, I am the mom of four animals but it's DIFFERENT.

At any rate, Monte took W to Happy Tails, I made coffee and turned on the laptop. Monte came back and made breakfast and we are still sitting here, talking about what to do today. We have errands to run, chores to do and much more. Tonight we will go out to celebrate Valentine's Day. I have a list of things I want to do around here but somehow it will all be a big dusty mess (WHY is my house so DUSTY) before next weekend so I might as well relax now and clean like a maniac the day before my dad arrives. Monte has to take the dryer apart (for the 100th time) because the kids leave little pencil stubs in their pockets and they get stuck in the vent and make a horrid noise. I know, I should check all pockets before doing the laundry but do you have ANY idea HOW MANY POCKETS I wash each week? I try to check them all but sometimes, I miss one or two. It's a good thing my husband loves me so much.

So, that's it. I waited a long time to get to a place of having just a nice, normal family life. And that is exactly where I have landed. Monte I lay in bed this morning talking about how we have become a family and built our lives together and everyone is settled and happy and home and I just don't ever take it for granted and I pray I never do.