Last Tuesday George went to school and then played in the yard the whole afternoon. While he was in school I ran. It was the best run for me in two weeks. This is noteworthy because for the past two weeks I have been sick or injured or exhausted every day and even when I attempted to get out there I stop constantly to rest. This is not normal for me. My attitude towards my daily run is and always has been, "There's NO excuse. period. not weather, not sickness, no excuse" I am a pretty tough trainer. Tuesday night, George has his weekly dinner meeting and Wednesday was another tough long day and by Thursday, little George had not seen his daddy in almost 72 hours. I should also mention that Thursday morning on my only break I was required to attend a parent enrichment class. We are only required two per school year for the preschool and some are offered at night or on the weekends but there are two given during the hours of preschool for those who have trouble in the childcare arena. That would be me. So I chose this one: "Balancing Marriage and Children" from 9:15-11:00. It was not bad. I may have learned something that I just can't seem to put my finger on right now. In fact I know I would have learned something if I had been in the right mood. All I could think about though was how cold I was when there was perfectly good warm sun outside, and how I needed to just let my brain detach itself for these two hours that I am free from the constant questions directed at me by my sweet inquisitive three year old. It did not help when our first exercise was to pick someone we didn't know and sit knee to knee with them and stare at their face (without "judgement") for 2 minutes. Try to do anything for two minutes and you will realize how long that period of time really is. OK, now back to the activity. Did you catch that? STARE AT THIS PERSON for two minutes. Where I come from, it is NOT polite to stare. Also, I have not had an eyebrow wax in over a month and its crazy up there. Of course this woman will not be able to take her eyes off my strays. Had I known that would be our first activity today I would have plucked a few of the major ones on her behalf. Oh YALL.. It was TERRIBLE. It was just as bad as you imagine it to be. The idea was to take this home and give your "partner" two minutes of undivided attention and look at the details of their face. I am sure its a wonderful exercise with your husband or wife, but I am sorry as I can be, the experience did not translate well to someone (as lovely as she was) who is not my husband. I know my friend feels the same way because everyone in the room did. We shared our experience with the group. Thats how I know. Geeez, I really hate stuff like this. On top of that I felt that the speaker tried to level with the group using unprofessional language. On second thought, this may have been her normal way of speaking but I just find it a little unprofessional to use language like she did in a seminar. She was obviously very intelligent and experienced and had a lot to offer but she lost me with the use of certain words again and again.
Enough on that, the idea is that for those two hours when I desperately needed a break, instead I got a cold dark room with ugly language and a staring contest. UGH. On a positive note, I think my friend and I bonded a little over the awkwardness of it all. Every time I see her now, we share a knowing grin. Ok, some good came out of it. See, this is why I blog. That was the first time that crossed my mind. Back to it…..
Thursday night was when my week began to turn around. Still no nap for little George and by the time big George got home I was in a MOOD. I had followed the first half of the game online and was so anxious to get to BW3s where we would find out if they even care about the UNC/dook rivalry out here. Well, they do- kind of. It was on but everyone kept trying to turn our TV to the Miami game…I get it- LeBron…but this is MY game. My absolutely wonderful gem of a husband took control more than once and said in his most authoritative doctor voice, "DON'T change this one, we are interested in the current game". He's usually pretty shy, so this is one way he loves me well, when he puts his shyness and peacemaker character on the back burner so my game does not get changed in a room full of loud, cussing, young, Miami loving, LeBron fans. He does love me. Bless his heart. So if you don't know, (and if you don't know where have you been?) the outcome was just what we wanted- a close game but with the W going to the Heels at home. I could write a book on my love for Carolina basketball but I will just write one thing. I sufficiently embarrassed myself at the end in BW3s. What a way to turn my day around!
Friday Georgie and I walked to two parks, first to Lacy park where we met Lauren and Tac. Then on to Garfield Park where we met Jennie and Evie. Park-hopping! Then home. George was not interested in a nap so we played in the front yard. This is when our accident of the week occurred. I should just have one whole section of this blog for the "accident of the week" because we seem to have accidents constantly. Basically a heavy wooden structure on wheels fell on top of him which would have been fine had it not been for the mesh plastic that was attached at top and bottom. I watched the whole thing happen. He looked up to see the mesh approach his little face and when it met him it body slammed him into the brick driveway. His neck bent in a way that made my heart stop and the sound his head made on the brick made my stomach turn. I just knew something was "bad-wrong" as we say in my family. He turned out to be ok, but y'all, I was really worried. I had just told Lauren she could bring Tac over for a couple of hours and I considered calling her back to say I was on my way to the ER, but decided to call my husband instead. Of course, he was in surgery so did not pick up. I decided to just keep a watchful eye on him after I got him all cleaned up and settled down. By the time Tac arrived he was back to his old self, but I was still a wreck. Once the 17 month old got there though, it was such a nice change of pace that my whole mood changed. Little George really needs a sibling! He was so sweet to Tac and had this innate ability to act like a big brother. It was really amazing to see because I have not taught him that.
Saturday, big George was at the hospital all day. Little George and I walked to the coffee shop, then to the post office, then to Mix n Munch (grilled cheese and cereal bar), then to Orange Grove Park. Finally we arrived home and I was able to talk George into some quiet time in his room. This does not always work but I was able to accomplish a few tasks that had waited all week for George's nap time.
Sunday was such a sabbath! George was home and it was so nice to parent 2 on 1. I was able to get a run in before church and then we worshipped together and then just napped in the warm sun all afternoon. Well, not ALL afternoon but I think we both drifted off a time or two. Ok, George drifted off, I always had one eye open to make sure little George did not climb any other heavy wooden frames with plastic mesh. Then, wonder of wonders, Georgie replied to my request to read him some books in his room with "Thats a GREAT idea mommy!" I still don't know where that came from but the poor thing must have been exhausted because eventually he went to sleep in the day time for the first time all week. Praise the Lord. I went to sleep too. George did our taxes. Oh taxes…..Blahhhhhh.
Sunday night I played softball and had a really great time being myself. I talked to other adults the best I remember how. I drove on the freeway and noticed the stars. I looked at wonder on the valley of lights of the city in which I live. Its amazing how I forget where I live sometimes. I live in LA. WOW. I love these drives at night, with no little voice piercing my thoughts with a demand or question. Its nice to remember who I am and where I am and that I do in fact exist apart from the four walls of our home. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change a thing, I love our family and our walls and feel incredibly blessed to be living the life that I am live. However, I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the times where I can look at my life from the outside in instead of the other way around. Praise God for my life. I am so so SO blessed.
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